Cranberry Tarts!

From the New York Times:
Adapted from “Dolce Italiano: Desserts From the Babbo Kitchen,” by Gina DePalma (W. W. Norton, 2007)

Time: 2 hours plus 1 hour’s chilling

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup instant or fine polenta
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 cups (12-ounce bag) fresh cranberries, picked over
1/2 cup heavy cream
Confectioners’ sugar, optional.
1. Place 1 1/4 cups flour, polenta, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and lemon zest in a food processor and process to blend. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. In a small bowl, beat whole egg with oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Uncover processor, pour in liquid ingredients and pulse until a ball of dough forms. This may take 20 or more quick pulses. If necessary, sprinkle in a little water if mixture does not come together. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.

2. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt remaining sugar over low heat. Stir in syrup and bring to a boil. Add cranberries and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes, until they begin to release juice. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool about 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to an 12-inch circle and fit into a 10-inch loose-bottom tart pan. If dough tears, it can easily be pressed together.

4. In a bowl, whisk together cream and 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk in three egg yolks, remaining vanilla and a pinch of salt. Pour over cranberries and fold together. Pour into tart shell, place pan on a baking sheet and bake about 40 minutes, until filling bubbles but is not yet firm, and pastry browns. Cool in pan before removing sides; if desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings.




Cranberry Crumble Tart
TOTAL TIME 1 hour 45 minutes (plus two hours' chilling)

FOR THE PASTRY DOUGH:

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and frozen
1 extra-large egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
FOR THE COMPOTE:

3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup fresh cranberries
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg
MAKE STREUSEL TOPPING:

1.
In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon, and pulse to mix. Add butter, and pulse until it's the consistency of coarse meal. Add egg, and pulse just to combine.

2.
Spoon compote into tart shell, and spread in a thin layer. Crumble topping evenly over the top. Bake until compote is bubbling and topping is browned, 35 to 45 minutes.
MAKE THE COMPOTE:

3.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
YIELD8 - 10 servings