I tore a page with the recipe for this tart out of a Bon Appetit magazine nearly two decades ago and I’ve been making it every year since. It’s that good. With a buttery crust, a rich and velvety chocolate filling, and tart sugared cranberries, it’s a treat you only need a small slice of, but it’s one where you linger over every bite with your eyes closed. Its elegance and utter deliciousness make it perfect for the holiday season. (But you’ll probably end up dreaming about it a few times throughout the rest of the year, too.)
The dough comes together in a food processor and creates a crust that’s both buttery and sweet – tender yet sturdy enough to stand up to the filling and topping above. You start by baking the crust, and then making the filling while it cools.
The filling is really just a simple ganache comprised of three ingredients, so good quality chocolate is your friend here. It’s balanced by a little Creme de Cassis – a black currant liqueur – that’s stirred in once the chocolate has melted. If you don’t want to invest in a bottle just for this project, some bourbon or Chambord would do the job as well.
The filling goes into the cooled crust and the whole thing heads into the fridge to set up. While it chills, you make the candied cranberries. (Which is much simpler than it sounds.) All it entails is tossing some cranberries with some sugar and baking them until the sugar has dissolved and some of the berries have burst.
You top the chocolate with those beautiful cranberries, and then spoon some of the ensuing pink syrup over the top. Pop it back in the fridge for a bit, and that sugar hardens into a very subtle candied crack which is the perfect contrast to the silky chocolate below it.
Candied Cranberry Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
- 1 large egg yolk
- For the filling:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 tablespoons creme de cassis
- For the cranberries:
- 1 (12 oz) package frozen cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Preparation
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a food processor, blend the flour, sugar, and salt together. Add butter and pulse until mixture is coarse and pebbly. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of water and blend until dough holds together, adding more water if necessary by the 1/2 tablespoon.
- Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least two hours and up to 48 hours, if needed.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan. Cut dough to overhang by 3/4-inch, then fold the overhang in and press together, forming sides that come 1/4-inch above the pan.
- Pierce crust evenly with a fork and freeze for 15 minutes. Once chilled, bake for 15 minutes. If sides fall, press back up with a fork and continue baking until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Cool on wire rack while you prepare filling.
- In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. Remove from heat, add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in liqueur and pour filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate until filling has set, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the cranberries. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Add cranberries and sugar to a bowl and toss together to evenly coat. Spread cranberries out on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 10 minutes, then stir berries gently with a metal spatula. Continue baking until berries have thawed and most of the sugar has dissolved, 5 minutes more.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then spoon the cranberries on top of the chocolate, drizzling with the syrup from the baking pan. Chill 1 hour before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Recipe from Epicurious.