Kevin Lee Jacobs

Gardening, Recipes & Home Décor Tips

Cranberry-Almond Tart

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 53 Comments

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Last updated on November 23rd, 2019

Cranberry-Almond TartUpdated 2019. I adore this shimmering Cranberry-Almond Tart. The berries and nuts are stirred into luxurious homemade caramel sauce, and baked in an all-butter French pastry shell. The tart can be made up to two days ahead of time.

Cranberry-Almond Tart

Here’s the recipe in photographic steps (scroll down for the printable recipe):

To start, make and blind bake a sweet tart crust, per these step-by-step instructions.

To make the filling, first pour some sugar into a non-stick skillet (I used my well-seasoned, 10-inch cast-iron skillet), and heat the sugar over a medium-low flame.

Meanwhile, grab some heavy cream…

And dice up a stick of unsalted butter.

Put the cream and butter in a microwave-safe bowl (or glass measure), and heat them in the microwave just until the butter melts — about 1 minute.

Back to the sugar. In about 10 minutes, and with only infrequent stirring with a metal spoon (yes, I know that’s a wooden spoon up top; just pretend it’s metal) the sugar will liquefy, and turn a beautiful shade of chestnut-brown.

No picture of this next step: Remove the sugar from the heat, and slowly stir in the hot cream mixture.

Note: If, after the cream is added, the sugar crystallizes and gums up the works (this can happen to the best of us), don’t despair! Just bring the sugar to an excited boil, stirring continuously until most — if not all — of the clumped-up crystals dissolve.

Strain the caramel through a wire-mesh sieve set over a bowl, and let cool for 20-30 minutes.

Now grab some whole, frozen cranberries…

And some sliced almonds…

And pour them into the bowl of caramel. Stir with a blue spatula until every nut and berry is thoroughly coated.

Then scoop the works into the tart shell.

Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 350°F oven until the the caramel starts to bubble along the edge of the tart — 25-30 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour, and then chill in the fridge until the caramel sets — about 1 hour.

Then unmold the tart onto an attractive serving platter or cake-stand…

And dive right in.

Folks, this tart makes a beautiful presentation for the holiday table. The tender but firm crust is as delicious as its caramel-bound, cranberry and almond filling. The only accompaniment it requires is champagne.

Yes! Bring on the champagne.

Does this tart look like something you’d like to try? You can let me know by leaving a comment below.

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Here’s the printable:

Print Recipe

Cranberry-Almond Tart

Cranberries and Almonds bound together in a sumptuous caramel sauce.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: almonds, caramel, Christmas, cranberries, tart, Thanksgiving,
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Making the Caramel -- Tip the sugar into a 10-inch-diameter non-stick skillet (or well-seasoned cast iron skillet). Set the skillet over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, put the cream and butter in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measure, and microwave on HIGH just until the butter melts -- about 1 minute.
  • While stirring with a metal spoon from time to time, let the sugar cook until it liquifies and turns a chestnut-brown color -- about 10 minutes. Off heat, slowly stir in the hot cream mixture. (Don't panic if the sugar crystalizes, or "seizes." Just bring the caramel to an exited boil while stirring it constantly, until most if not all of the hardened clumps dissolve.)
  • Straining the caramel and adding the cranberries and almonds -- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour the caramel through a wire mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Cool for 20 minutes. Add the cranberries and almonds, and stir until the berries and nuts are completely coated with caramel.
  • Filling and baking the tart -- Put the tart shell (in its pan) on a baking sheet. Fill the shell with the cranberry mixture. Bake until the caramel begins to bubble along the sides of the tart -- 25-30 minutes.
  • Cooling, unmolding, and serving the tart -- Let the tart cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (Or, cover the tart and refrigerate for up to 2 days.) When ready to serve, unmold the tart onto a large plate or platter. Cut the tart into 8 wedges, and serve cold or at room temperature.

Comments

  3. 3

    Deb J says

    Oh my…it’s beautiful! Do you think the crust recipe could be formed into mini muffin tins to make mini tartlets instead of one large tart? I’m looking for finger-food recipes for holiday open houses…I like that part about freezing the dough until hell freezes over. That means I can make some of it in advance and avoid some of the last minute rush!

    Thanks Kevin…your site is my all-time favorite! I can’t tell you how many times I come here to look for ideas and inspiration.

  4. 4

    Cary Bradley says

    Amazing! Simply beautiful tart. Kevin, you’ve done it once again. I was just given 3 pounds of beautiful fresh Cape Cod cranberries and have been wondering how to do them justice. This is the ticket! Thank you for sharing this gem!

  5. 5

    Brenda Johnson says

    My new favorite Kevin!!!! This has bumped to the top of my “taste testing” list!!!! This pie is sensational!!! The sweet gooey caramel, the crunchy nutty almonds, the tart burst of the fresh cranberries (which in fact then makes this healthy right? Cranberries are a healthy thing!!!!) and oh that wonderful buttery crust….put all those elements together and you’ve got a slice of sinfully delicious heaven!!! THANK YOU Kevin!!!!

  6. 6

    Julie Cook says

    …..and just where did I put that blue spatula 🙂 Yum! And wouldn’t that caramel sauce be delicious in a granny smith apple crumb creation? Do you have a recipe something like that by any chance? Thanks for the inspiration Kevin.

  7. 7

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Deb J – I don’t know how the dough would hold up in muffin tins, but it will certainly work with miniature, removable-bottom tart pans. Enjoy!

    Julie – Closest caramel apple recipe I have is this (absolutely delicious) Tarte Tatin.

    Brenda – Thanks for taste-testing!

  9. 9

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Paula – Just throw a bag of fresh cranberries in the freezer for a few hours (or overnight). That’s what I did. Frozen berries are less likely to disintegrate during their sojourn in the oven.

  10. 10

    V Joanne Heyob. says

    This sounds sumptuous Kevin. I think it will be on the Thanksgiving menu. Thanks for the post and for sharing.

  13. 13

    Margart says

    This looks fabulous!! I will make this for Thanksgiving. I don’t know if my son and daughter-in-law like cranberries, but no matter, it will be made!! I may have to make this for the potluck at work on the 23rd!! We have a potluck every month to celebrate birthdays or anything else and this is so pretty I may have to make it for that!! Love you blog, you are such an inspiration to me!! Thanks for this recipe!!

  14. 14

    Michele Layne says

    Looks and sounds absolutely heavenly. I’ll have to wait until after thanksgiving though. I have friends coming that don’t consume dairy but I will definetly give this a try Cristmas.

  16. 16

    Brenda says

    …and once again your site has made me laugh, reminded my how the chilled champagne I always have in the second refrigerator is really a good thing and gave me a lip smacking (hip packing) new recipe using the humble cranberry! I needed something different for the garden club’s luncheon Wednesday at which members bring an autumn vegetable/fruit creation w/recipe and explanation of the ‘benefits’ of it. Cranberries are good, right? I am also making a sweet potato casserole with cranberries and pecan brickle topping.

    Always a treat visiting your site…many thanks…my husband says…Beefeater or Tanqueray and two olives please and only stirred!

  17. 17

    Kathy says

    Kevin, I found you earlier this fall and I think I am in love. Thank you for your generous soul. I will definitely be trying this.

  18. 18

    Diane says

    I wonder if I could use your caramel sauce recipe for other desserts-or even ice cream? The tart looks delicious but I am the only person in my family that likes cranberries, bummer.

  19. 19

    Hilary says

    Visiting your site is like a vacation. All the fun and none of the work. Thanks so much for your inspiring ideas, creative solutions and beautiful eye candy–not to mention the tasty treats. Since I have a cranberry bog in my back yard and have +/- 14 pounds of cranberries in my freezer I will have to make this. I thought I had made every conceivable cranberry recipe and you have shown me how mistaken I was. Thank you Kevin.

  24. 24

    Susi says

    Kevin, my food processor is on the fritz ( need new blade and have to order one). Can I use my mixer? This looks so delectable!

  25. 25

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Susi – An electric mixer won’t help, but you can certainly make the pastry dough by hand, just as I used to do. A pastry-blending gadget (available in most supermarkets and all kitchen-supply stores) will help you to cut the butter into the flour. Otherwise, you can use your fingers. If the butter starts to soften as you work, just pop the bowl in the freezer for 2 minutes, and then continue. And have fun!

  27. 27

    Meryl Oliver says

    Do you think any nut other than almonds would work here? My husband is allergic to them but this recipe looks heavenly!

  29. 29

    becky says

    Thank you Kevin for this beautiful tart. I’m making it because its so pretty! It seems simple enough that I won’t screw it up

  30. 30

    Sheila says

    Question: I purchased a tart pan but the only size I could find was a 11″x1″. And, it is a darker colored pan–says that it distributes heat evenly, but I’ve had one of these before when I made a lime curd tart and I wasn’t happy with the way it cooked the crust. The only other pan I have is too shallow for this tart. So, do you think I need to increase the recipe filling a bit? I want to try this for thanksgiving as an additional dessert.

  31. 31

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Sheila – I’m sure there is an exact way to increase the ingredients to accommodate the larger tart pan you have. But on a Monday I simply can’t do that math! Now, were I confronted with your 11×1 tart pan, I’d simply increase the dough and filling ingredients by a couple of tablespoons. In essence, it’s better to have too much material than not enough. And I suspect your tart will work out just fine.

  33. 33

    Roberta says

    Kevin I always get a good laugh when I read your recipe directions. Cant wait for the cookbook. And this recipe sounds heavenly.

  34. 34

    Margaret says

    Can’t wait to make this for family Christmas party. I just ordered
    6 lowbush, self pollinating, prolific cranberry plants from our
    local Raintree nursery. I used to live in Alaska where the lowbush
    cranberries were abundant and free.

  36. 36

    ppbrownlee says

    I’m not sure Kevin, if you ever get a chance to read all these comments–but here’s another one from an appreciative follower of your work! Your humor accompanying your wonderful recipes and gardening activities makes yours an E-mail I always open at first appearance in my In-Box! Something I rarely do with some of the other activity E-mails!! So please keep up this good work!

    We had a place up in the Berkshires for 20 years, so I well know the challenges of Zone 5 gardening. However, my veggies there were really terrific. So it can be done–even when, in one year, I had frost June 6 and 8, and then again September 4 or so! Phew, that was a short season that year.

    Wishing you all the joys of this Holiday Season and plenty of good eating! Paula PB

  40. 40

    Carolyn says

    I am making this tonight for tomorrow’s Christmas Eve celebration. I can hardly wait to try it.

  42. 42

    Stella Michel says

    Looks delicious, but I’m diabetic and there’s no way I can even think of eating something like this, unfortunately.

  43. 43

    Lyzzee Crowl says

    I made this for Thanksgiving last year and it is delicious. Definitely a recipe that will be on our holiday menus in the future as well.

    Kevin, I have always wondered about using beans when baking the crust. Should the beans be set aside and only used for this purpose or can you use them and prepared as you normally would prepare beans?

  44. 44

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Lyzzee – I wouldn’t try to cook the beans after you’ve used them for pie weights. I store mine in an airtight container labeled “Well-Baked Beans” because…they are!

  47. 47

    Lisa in CO says

    Hi Kevin,
    This is going to be perfect for my cranberry dish for daughter’s dinner! I love your format and availability to both photos and written recipes for those who learn differently. In fact, your photo comments are ones that I insert into the copy I make of the print-friendly version of recipes because I enjoy your humor so much! Question: In the photo section ‘Straining the caramel, and adding the cranberries and almonds’, you indicated you let the caramel cool 20 – 30 minutes after straining it through a sieve; however, you don’t mention that in print-friendly version. Is it necessary to allow caramel to cool before adding caramel and almonds? Thanks, it’s gonna be great!

  48. 48

    Lisa in CO says

    oops! SHould we “Cool caramel 20-30 minutes before adding cranberries and almonds?” is what I meant to ask. Thanks.

  49. 49

    naturegirl says

    That is one of the most unique tarts i’ve ever seen – my mouth is watering! Happy Thanksgiving!

  52. 52

    Donna says

    Hi Kevin,
    I love this recipe! My question is: If you only have salted butter can you eliminate the salt in the recipe? Happy New Year!

  53. 53

    Sekina Suleman says

    14 Oct,20145 Hello Kevin,
    I love all your cooking and designing but wish you could give a gluten free version of this Almond Cranberry tart. I stopped eating wheat 5 months ago after watching a program on ‘ wheat free eating’ on Public TV. I lost ten pound thus far and hope to continue with this regimen. I cook and bake all my own food and some for my husband who still LOVES his French Bread.

    So, would you please, please , publish a gluten free recipe if you have one. I’ll try to get one online as well. I am not ill, just changing my eating habits for a better life.

    Thank you so much, keep well,
    Much love
    Sekina Suleman

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