Tart Cranberry Buttery Crust (Printable)
Tangy cranberry with a smooth filling nestled in a flaky, buttery crust, perfect for festive or everyday indulgence.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 tablespoons cold water, as needed
→ Cranberry Filling
07 - 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup water
10 - 1 tablespoon orange zest
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 2 large egg yolks
13 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
15 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish (optional)
16 - Powdered sugar
17 - Fresh cranberries
18 - Orange zest
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
02 - In a bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and mix, adding cold water gradually until dough just holds together.
03 - Press dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Prick the base with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
04 - Bake crust for 15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
05 - Combine cranberries, sugar, water, and orange zest in a saucepan. Simmer until cranberries burst and mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and puree until smooth.
06 - In a bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks, and flour. Gradually incorporate the cranberry puree, followed by melted butter and a pinch of salt, mixing until smooth.
07 - Pour filling into the pre-baked crust. Bake for 25 minutes until filling is set but slightly jiggly in the center.
08 - Allow tart to cool completely before removing from pan. Garnish with powdered sugar, fresh cranberries, and orange zest as desired.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- The filling is smooth and silky without being fussy, striking that perfect balance between sweet and tart that makes you reach for another slice.
- Your kitchen will smell like citrus and caramelized berries, and guests will think you spent hours on this when you really spent less than two.
- It's beautiful enough for a holiday table but casual enough to serve on an ordinary Tuesday with coffee.
02 -
- Don't skip chilling the dough; those 15 minutes make the difference between a tender, flaky crust and one that's tough and dense.
- The filling will look underbaked when you pull it from the oven, but that slight wobble in the center is exactly what you want; overbaking creates a dry, rubbery texture instead of a silky custard.
- If your crust starts browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil during the pre-bake to keep it pale and tender.
03 -
- Frozen cranberries work just as well as fresh and often burst faster, releasing their juice more readily and intensifying the flavor.
- If your filling seems too thick when pureeing, let it cool more; if it seems too thin, you can always cook it down for another minute or two before adding the eggs.