Cranberry Meringue Tart

We piped the meringue and then smoothed the inner edge with an offset spatula for an elegant look.

Cranberry Meringue Tart
 
Yields: Makes 1 (9-inch) tart
Ingredients
  • 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
  • 1¾ cups sugar, divided
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Tart Shell (recipe follows)
  • 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Garnish: fresh cranberries, candied ginger
Instructions
  1. Simmer until cranberries have softened and released their juices, about 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing solids; discard solids. Add butter to cranberry mixture, whisking until combined. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolks, immediately whisking until well combined.
  2. Return cranberry mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. (Whisk should leave a faint trace when dragged through mixture).
  3. Pour cranberry mixture into Tart Shell, smoothing top if necessary. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Chill, uncovered for at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. Remove tart from pan.
  4. In a large mixing bowl set over a pot of simmering water, add egg whites, cream of tartar, and remaining ½ cup sugar. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar is fully dissolved, about 10 minutes. Beat with a mixer on high speed until egg whites form stiff, glossy peaks and triple in size, about 8 minutes. Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitting with desired decorative tip. Pipe around edges of tart in desired pattern. Garnish with cranberries and ginger, if desired.

Tart Shell
 
Yields: Makes 1 (9-inch) tart crust
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. In the work bowl of a food processor, place flour, sugar, salt, and ginger; pulse until combined. Add cold butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Whisk together eggs and water. With processor running, add egg mixture in a slow, steady stream just until dough comes together. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Let dough stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 15 minutes
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 11-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan, pressing into bottom and up sides. Trim excess dough. Top with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of pan. Add pie weights.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake 5 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Use immediately, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

 

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