Cranberry Crackle Tart
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Cranberry Crackle Tart has a tart fresh cranberry filling topped off with sweet meringue all in a delicious cookie crust.
I am always on the hunt for new and exciting recipes for the holidays. I get bored of making the same things year after year and like to add two or three new recipes each year.
Since I’m usually in charge of dessert I keep my eyes peeled for pies, cakes, and cookies that look like they would work well for each holiday. When I saw this Cranberry Crackle Tart I thought it would be perfect for Thanksgiving.
It looked simple enough with a cookie crust, fresh cranberry filling, and a sweet meringue on top. The meringue would be the hardest part and I make meringue all the time so I wasn’t too worried about it.
Ingredients:
- flour
- powdered sugar
- salt
- butter
- eggs
- cherry jam
- sugar
- cranberries
We had a small Thanksgiving last year so I made one of these cranberry tarts and one pumpkin pie. The crust of this tart is like a basic sugar cookie cookie and is rolled out thin for the base of the tart.
The crust is baked first so that it is firm and able to hold the cranberry filling. A thin layer of jam is spread on top of it before the filling. This helps to keep the cookie crust from becoming soft and absorbing the cranberry juices.
Can I use refrigerated sugar cookie dough for the crust?
No. Refrigerated sugar cookie dough puffs up a lot and that’s not what we are looking for in this tart. Also, while this is reminiscent of a sugar cookie, it definitely has its own flavor. Make the crust according to the recipe.
Can I use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?
If you buy frozen whole cranberries then yes you can use them. Simply thaw them out and drain off any extra juices before putting them into your filling.
Do my eggs have to be at room temperature?
Yes. This is a very important step. When making meringue it is important that your egg whites are at room temperature because they will have a larger volume and be easier to whip if they are not cold.
How do I know my meringue is ready?
Your meringue is ready when it is shiny and has formed stiff peaks. That means when you stop mixing it any ridges that may have formed hold their shape. When you turn the beater upside down the meringue should be firm and hold its shape, it should not be drooping or soft.
The interesting thing about this tart is that you fold the cranberries into the meringue. However, as the tart bakes the two layers separate and the cranberries become the filling while the meringue floats to the top and makes a gorgeous crackle on top.
I took the tart to Thanksgiving so I didn’t have a chance to try it ahead of time. I cut slices for everyone and it was a huge hit.
The cookie layer is sweet but not overly sweet. The cranberry layer is pretty tart but it pairs so well with the sweet meringue on top.
More Pie Recipes:
- Brown Sugar and Bourbon Peach Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Brown Sugar Pie
- Apple Pear Pie with Crumble Topping
- Triple Berry Pie
The funny thing is that there was just one piece of the tart left after dessert. Usually I would leave it for someone else to take but I really liked it and ended up packing it up and taking it home with me.
The next morning I got texts from both my brother AND my dad asking where I had put the leftover cranberry tart because they both wanted it for breakfast! Sorry boys, I took it home and enjoyed it for my own breakfast.
The tart was such a big hit that I ended up making two of them for Christmas last year as well. Both got eaten up but I did manage to save a slice for myself and gave one to both my brother and dad for the next day.
This is by far one of my favorite holiday desserts and I’ll be making it again this year!
Cranberry Crackle Tart
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 Tablespoons butter cold
- 1 egg yolk
For the Tart:
- 2 Tablespoons cherry jam
- 2 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 10 oz. fresh cranberries
- Zest of one orange optional
Instructions
- Place the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
- Add the butter, cut into pieces. Pulse until butter it roughly cut into the dough.
- Whisk the yolk and add it to the food processor. Pulse several times or until a dough just forms.
- Turn the dough onto the counter and knead a few times to better incorporate the butter.
- Shape the dough into a disk and place in between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper.
- Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness.
- Spray a pie pan with cooking spray.
- Lift the pie pastry into the pie pan and press into the bottom and sides. Trim the dough 1/3 of the way from the top of the pan. Prick the bottom of the taart shell with a fork.
- Freeze the pastry in the pie pan for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line the crust with parchment paper and add dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights and bake for another 10 minutes. Cool crust completely.
- Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
- Spread the jam over the bottom of the crust.
- Place the egg whites in a bowl. Beat on medium speed until they begin to turn opaque. Add in the salt and sugar and beat on medium low speed, increasing the speed slowly until it is on high. Beat until semi-firm peaks form. You don't want them soft but you don't want them super stiff either.
- Add the cranberries and orange zest if desired to the meringue and gently fold in with a spatula.
- Spread meringue into the pie pan add a few nice swirls on top.
- Bake for 1 hour. Remove and cool completely. Store in a refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
