Description
This festive cranberry curd tart combines the bright, tart flavors of homemade cranberry curd with a sweet and crunchy graham cracker crust. Topped with a cloud of smooth, freshly whipped cream and optionally garnished with sugared cranberries, this dessert is perfect for holiday celebrations and sure to impress your guests.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 and 1/4 cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full-sheet graham crackers)
- 3 Tablespoons (37g) granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, melted
Cranberry Curd Filling
- 1 lb. (454g) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup (240ml) orange juice
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream, cold
- 2 Tablespoons granulated or confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- optional: sugared cranberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the tart pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable base using nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Make the graham cracker crust: If starting with whole graham crackers, grind them into fine crumbs using a food processor or blender. In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with granulated sugar, then stir in the melted butter until the mixture is thick and sandy. Press the mixture with medium pressure into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared tart pan to form an even crust, avoiding packing too hard to keep it from becoming too dense.
- Bake the crust: Place the crust in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cook cranberry filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberries, orange juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and cook until all cranberries burst and mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Mash berries against the pan sides to assist breaking.
- Cool and puree: Remove from heat and let the cranberry mixture cool for at least 20 minutes. Then transfer to a high-powered blender or food processor and puree until perfectly smooth with no skin pieces remaining. Return this puree back to the saucepan.
- Mix eggs and cornstarch: In a small bowl, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Gradually whisk this mixture into the cranberry puree on the stove over medium heat.
- Cook curd: Bring the stirred mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom to prevent sticking, until thickened and reaching about 200°F (93°C) or a custard-like consistency, around 5–7 minutes.
- Finish filling: Remove from heat and whisk in softened butter and vanilla extract until completely incorporated and smooth.
- Assemble tart: Pour the cranberry curd filling into the cooled crust. Smooth the top with a small offset spatula. Allow the tart to cool to room temperature for 30–45 minutes.
- Chill tart: Refrigerate the tart for at least 6 hours or overnight to set fully.
- Make whipped cream: Using a stand or hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cold heavy cream with sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. If over-whipped, gently fold in a bit more cold cream to restore smoothness.
- Serve: Spread or pipe whipped cream over the chilled tart. Garnish with sugared cranberries if desired. Carefully remove the tart rim, slice, and serve immediately.
- Storage: Cover and refrigerate leftover tart for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Press the graham cracker crust mixture lightly—do not compact too hard to avoid a dense crust.
- Pureeing the cranberry mixture twice ensures a silky-smooth filling without bits of skin.
- Use room temperature eggs to ensure even cooking in curd.
- Medium peaks on whipped cream mean the peaks slightly hold their shape but still have a soft tip, perfect for topping.
- If you don’t have sugared cranberries for garnish, fresh cranberries lightly dusted with powdered sugar also work.
- The tart needs significant chilling time to set properly—do not skip the refrigeration step.
- Leftover tart keeps well for up to 3 days refrigerated, but the crust may soften over time.
