Best Nutcracker Tart Recipes

NUTCRACKER TART

Steps:

• For crust:
• Mix flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add shortening and butter. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Combine 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl; pour over flour mixture. Stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls as needed. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap disk in plastic and chill at least 20 minutes and up to 3 days.
• Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into tart pan. Trim dough overhang and reserve. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake crust until golden, about 17 minutes; if crust bubbles, press with back of fork. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
• Meanwhile, prepare filling:
• Mix 1 1/2 cups cream, both sugars and honey in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture bubbles thickly and darkens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in grated orange peel. Let stand 20 minutes. Stir in walnuts, pecans, cashews and almonds. Spoon filling into crust, distributing nuts evenly. Bake tart until filling is bubbling thickly and is deep amber in color, about 22 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Serve with whipped cream and Orange-Cranberry Compote, if desired.

CHOCOLATE NUTCRACKER TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Mix 1 cup flour and the salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Shape pastry into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Roll pastry into 12-inch round with floured rolling pin. Roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and transfer to ungreased 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Unroll pastry and ease into pan, pressing firmly against bottom. Trim overhanging edge of pastry even with top of tart pan.
• Beat brown sugar, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons flour and the eggs in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into pastry-lined tart pan.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Beat all whipped cream ingredients in chilled small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon whipped cream around edge of tart.