Pecan Cranberry Tart

This tart has all the goodness of pecan pie with a sweet-tart hit from the cranberries. It's served with Sweet Buttermilk Ice Cream; buttermilk adds tang to ice cream giving it a frozen yogurt-like taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 Recipe Tart Shells, recipe below
• 3 egg whites
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise or 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups pecans halves, toasted
• 1 cup cranberries

Tart Shells:

• 2/3 cup softened butter
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

   

  Directions:

   

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare Tart Shells. In medium bowl beat egg whites and whole eggs until combined; set aside.

  2. In small saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add to pan with bean. Bring just to boiling over medium heat. Gradually whisk into egg mixture. With slotted spoon remove and discard vanilla bean.

  3. Arrange pecan halves and cranberries in cooled tart shells. Pour syrup mixture over.

  4. Place tarts on large baking sheet. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until filling is set. Makes 2 tarts (10 servings each).

   

  Tart Shells:

   

  1. In mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium-high until light. Add powdered sugar and kosher salt; beat 1 minute. Beat in eggs and egg yolks; beat 1 minute more. Gradually beat in flour. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour. On lightly floured surface, roll each half to 16x6-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to two 14x5-inch rectangular tart pans with removable bottoms. Trim edges. Chill 1 hour. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown; cool.

  Make Ahead Tip:

  • Bake tart shells 1 day ahead. Wrap; store at room temperature.
    

   

  Source: recipes.com 

Lemon-Cranberry Cake

Layers of cake, frosting, and fresh cranberry sauce make this a fantastic holiday dessert. But keep a package of fresh cranberries in the freezer so you can make this treat any time of the year.

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 3   cups all-purpose flour
• 1   tablespoon baking powder
• 1   cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2   cups sugar
• 4   large eggs
• 3/4  cup milk
• 1/2  cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• 1   teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1   tablespoon grated lemon rind
•  

  Filling:
• 1   bag (12 ounces) whole cranberries
• 1   cup sugar
• 1   tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•  

  Icing:
• 2   large egg whites
• 1 1/2  cups sugar
• 1/8  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup water
• 1   tablespoon corn syrup
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon lemon extract
•  

  Sugared cranberries (see Note)
•  

  Thinly sliced lemon, for garnish

   

  Directions:

   

  Cake:

  
  

  1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9-inch-round cake pans.

  2.In a medium-size bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.

  3.In large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until fluffy and light colored, 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

  4.In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, lemon juice and vanilla.

  5.On low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and milk mixture into butter mixture, ending with flour. Stir in lemon rind. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.

  6.Bake in 350 degree F oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 25 minutes. Let cake layers cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; remove pans. Let cool.

   

  Filling:

  
  

  1.In saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to simmering over medium-high heat; cook, stirring, until berries pop and mixture thickens slightly, 5 minutes. Scrape into sieve over bowl; press through sieve, discarding seeds and solids. You should have 1 cup filling. Let cool to room temperature.

   

  Icing:

  
  

  1.In heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine egg whites, sugar, salt, water and corn syrup. Beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer over medium-low heat until icing is thick, pure white and fluffy (soft, shiny peaks), about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add extracts; beat until very thick, 1 minute.

  2.Place one cake layer on serving plate. Top with half the filling, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Top with 3/4 cup icing. Repeat with second cake layer, remaining filling and 3/4 cup icing. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining icing over sides and top of cake. Garnish with sugared cranberries and lemon slices just before serving, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

   

  Source:  recipe.com