Martha is one of my most favorite pie bakers. I get the feeling she loves her pies and really knows what it takes to make a fabulous one. It would be wonderful to one day to bake with her. I can see us sharing and talking about our favorite pies and walking through her gardens choosing the best fruit and berries for our delight.
In the meantime, I’m reviewing her recipes and learning why they’re great and what can be done to make them even better. I’ll draw closer to her by following her lead in pie baking.
In these group of recipes from Martha Steward, I’m showing you my collection of some of her best pie stuff. The recipes are enhanced from her Pies and Tarts cookbooks and television series Bake With Martha. Enjoy while we watch and listen to Martha. Never take the good things in life for granted while you try to make the best of what you have.
Walnuts The two most common major species of walnuts are the Persian or English walnut and the black walnut. The English walnut originated in Persia, and the black walnut is native to eastern North America.
The black walnut is of high flavor, but due to its hard shell and poor hulling characteristics it is not grown commercially for nut production. Numerous walnut cultivars have been developed commercially, which are nearly all hybrids of the English walnut.
This is one of Martha’s New England Walnut Cranberry Tart, recipes that I modified to make it better, or in another way of thinking, I changed it to my liking hopefully better.
A little brown sugar was added to filling to give the cranberry filling a warmer syrup taste.
New England Walnut Cranberry Tart, Video
Walnut Cranberry Tart Ingredients:
CRUST
Single 10-by-8 inch or 11-by-8-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom
- 3 1/2 ounces walnuts, finely chopped (or any nuts)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
FILLING
- 1/2 cup cold good water (or filtered)
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 6 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 3/4 cups white sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, to taste
- 1 cup red currant jelly (or equal part Concord and Apple jelly with a splash of fresh lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons cognac (adult version)
DOLLOP (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon bourbon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Cranberry Tart Directions:
- Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine walnuts, butter, sugar, flour, salt, yolk, and vanilla. Or mix by hand with a large fork.
- Beat until well combined. Firmly press into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch or 11-by-8-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Bake until edges are set and golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Filling: Place cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Combine cranberries, sugar, jelly, and cognac in a saucepan and cook over low heat 12 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook or the mixture will become too watery; cranberries should be soft but not bursting.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in gelatin and let cool completely.
- Pour cranberry filling into baked tart shell and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Topping (optional):
- Beat together cream and confectioners’ sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form. Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of the tart pieces. Serve immediately.
Tip
If you do not have cognac, you may use good brandy.
