Cranberry Curd Tarte - Gluten-free

Full credit for the original recipe goes to Lan Lam of Cook’s Illustrated. I saw this fabulously festive recipe last year when I received my printed copy of Cook’s Illustrated magazine’s Nov/Dec 2020 issue and had to give it a try. For this adapted version, I cut down the sugar dramatically, and added in stevia to maintain the level of sweetness needed to balance the tartness of the cranberries. And, I also opted to add in a lining of dark chocolate for the crust as I’m a chocolate lover plus I like the juxtaposition of flavors. Overall, I’m really happy with this because reducing processed sugar in our diet, especially during the holidays is a more healthy way to be indulgent, and this is also gluten-free!

Note: This recipe is scaled for a 10” tart. You must use a tart pan with a removable bottom.

Cranberry Curd Filling:

1 lb. cranberries
4 oz. sugar
¼ teaspoon green stevia leaf powder*
½ cup water
3 large egg yolks, from pastured-eggs
( I only use eggs from pastured birds as the treatment of hens, and nutritional value is worth the extra cost per carton. Really best to get them from your local farmers markets.)

3 teaspoons cornstarch (non-GMO)**
2 oz. butter, cut into cubes
1 cup heavy cream (for garnishing)
*Use naturally dried green stevia leaf powder.
A good source is from www.mountainroseherbs.com
**The brands I like to use are from Rapunzel’s or Anthony’s
Crust:
6 oz. almond meal
2 oz. corn starch
1.5 oz. sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
5-½ oz. butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 oz. dark chocolate chips, melted

Directions for curd filling:

  1. Place cranberries, sugars, and water into a pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

  2. Pour into a food processor, and pulse a few times.
    Whisk egg yolks with cornstarch in a bowl, and then add to the cranberry mixture with the motor on. Blend well, and turn blender off.
    Leave the mixture in blender for about 45 minutes or until the temperature is around 125F.

  3. When ready, add in butter and blend for about 30 seconds.

  4. Strain mixture through a fine mesh.

  5. Pour into prepared crust and allow to set for 4 hours.
    (See directions below for preparing the crust.)

Directions for crust:
1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add butter and vanilla extract.

2. Knead to form a ball and press into a disc.

3. Place disc onto the 10” tart pan (with removable bottom), and press dough evenly into the pan, making sure that the side and bottom are even.

4. Bake at 350F for 15 - 20 minutes.

5. About 5 minutes before taking the crust out of oven, melt the dark chocolate by placing into a small glass or stainless steel bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Set aside.

6. Remove the shell from the oven when ready, and let it cool completely, then brush on the melted chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set.

7. Pour the strained cranberry curd into the shell—reserve about one rounded Tablespoon of the curd to use for the whipped cream garnishing.

For Whipped Cream garnish:

  1. Place heavy cream into a glass or stainless steel bowl, then add in the reserved Tablespoon of cranberry curd.

  2. Whip using a whisk until cream can hold a soft peak.

  3. Spoon cream into a piping bag with a star or round tip and pipe desired pattern into the tarte.
    (According to Lan Lam, the original recipe's author, the pectin in cranberries will keep the whipped cream nice and firm, so you can decorate in advance without worrying about the cream getting soft or losing its shape.)


    Original recipe can be found at:
    https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/13333-cranberry-curd-tart-with-almond-crust






Gluten-Free BakingKaren Wang Diggsgluten-free