Pecan Tart, Cranberry Sorbet Recipe

Make the pastry

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 0.5 tsp salt. Add 0.5 cup cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or fingertips to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle 3 tbsp ice water over mixture a tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly, until dough just holds together when pinched. Do not overwork. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

Prebake tart shell

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, trimming excess and pressing edges. Chill 10 minutes. Line tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 6–8 minutes more until edges are lightly golden. Reduce oven to 350°F (175°C).

Prepare pecan filling

In a medium bowl whisk together 0.75 cup light brown sugar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 0.25 cup melted butter, 0.5 cup heavy cream, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 0.25 tsp sea salt until smooth. If you prefer a slightly thicker set, whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch. Stir in 2 cups pecan halves until evenly coated.

Bake the tart

Pour pecan mixture into the prebaked tart shell and arrange a few whole pecans on top for presentation. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, until filling is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. If edges brown too quickly, tent with foil during last 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack 1 hour; the filling will continue to set as it cools.

Finish

Once cooled to room temperature, remove tart from pan. Optionally brush top lightly with warmed maple syrup for shine and sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt. Let rest at least 30 minutes before slicing to get clean slices.

Cook cranberries

In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups cranberries and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook until cranberries burst and soften, about 8–10 minutes. Use the back of a spoon to mash a few berries to release more juice.

Make sweetener and blend

In a separate small saucepan combine 0.25 cup sugar and 0.25 cup water; bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves to make a simple syrup. Remove from heat. Stir the simple syrup and 0.75 cup granulated sugar into the cooked cranberries (if using frozen, ensure mixture is hot enough to dissolve sugar). Add 0.25 cup orange juice, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 0.125 tsp salt and 1 tsp orange zest if using. Taste and adjust: if too tart, add up to 1–2 tbsp more simple syrup; if too sweet, add extra lemon.

Puree and strain

Cool the cranberry mixture slightly, then transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender and puree until smooth. For a silky sorbet, pass puree through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard remaining solids.

Chill and churn

Chill the strained cranberry purée thoroughly in the refrigerator until cold, at least 1 hour. Once cold, pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s directions until it reaches a soft-sorbet consistency (usually 20–30 minutes).

Freeze

Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and smooth the top. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze at least 2 hours to firm up before serving. If sorbet freezes too hard, let stand at room temperature 5–10 minutes before scooping.

Optionally toast 0.25 cup pecan halves in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking pan, until fragrant. Cool. Slice tart and serve each slice with a scoop (about 1/2 cup) of cranberry sorbet alongside. Garnish with toasted pecans and candied orange zest or a mint leaf. For a composed presentation, place one scoop of sorbet on the plate, set tart slice partially on it, and sprinkle a few toasted pecan pieces around.