Time
60 minutes to assemble 20-25 minutes to bake Total Time: 80-85 minutes
This is a festive and delicious dessert for your holiday table.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST 1/2-7 oz box Odense Almond Paste, grated 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, COLD 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened 1 cup flour, all-purpose bleached 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon ice water FOR THE FILLING 1/2-7 oz box Odense Almond Paste, grated 8 ounces cream cheese, regular or reduced fat, room temperature. 1/4 cup sugar 1 egg, at room temperature FOR THE TOPPING 2 cups cranberries, raw 1/2 cup cranberry juice or orange juice 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur OR cranberry juice
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
Grater Food Processor Electric Mixer 8" or 9" tart pan with removable bottom, greased and floured.
DIRECTIONS
Fit food processor with metal blade. Add Almond Paste, butter, cocoa, flour and sugar. Using short pulses, combine until mixture is a coarse meal.
Add the egg beaten with ice water. Pulse until the dough starts to come together. Add another teaspoon of water if necessary, pulsing until the dough forms a ball. DO NOT OVERPULSE, or a tough crust will result.
Tip the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Flatten into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While dough is resting, make filling.
After 30 minutes, unwrap the dough and roll out between two sheets of wax paper.
Lay the dough over the tart pan and gently press into sides. Remove excess dough by passing a rolling pin over the top. Trimmings can be used to make cookies.
Preheat 375° F oven with oven rack in middle.
TO MAKE FILLING:
With an electric mixer fitted with paddle, beat Almond Paste, cream cheese, and sugar until well mixed. There will still be small pieces of Almond Paste.
Add the egg.
Pour the filling into the crust.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until filling is lightly tanned and firm. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
FOR THE TOPPING:
Using a sheet pan to spread out berries, remove shriveled cranberries and stems. Rinse and drain.
Just before tart is done, heat cranberries, juice and sugar in saucepan over high heat until cranberries have softened, about 3 minutes.
Mix together cornstarch and amaretto liqueur. Add to the simmering cranberry mixture. Cook until mixture thickens and becomes somewhat transparent, about 2 minutes.
Spread mixture over warm tart.
Allow tart to cool to room temperature before removing from pan.
