¾cup (1 ½ sticks; 170 grams)unsalted butter,cubed and chilled
2tablespoonsice cold water
¼teaspoonvanilla extract
For the cranberry orange geleée
10ouncesfresh cranberries
½cup (100 grams)granulated sugar* (or more depending on preference, see note below)
¼cup (60 grams)water
¼cup (60 grams)orange juice
2tablespoons (16 grams)cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
For the lemon cream
1cup (200 grams)granulated sugar
Zest of 3 lemons
4largeeggs
¾cup (180 grams)freshly squeezed lemon juice; about 4-5 lemons
21tablespoons (295 grams)unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the italian meringue: (see tips above)
1 ½cups (300 grams)granulated sugar
⅓cup water (80 grams)water
5(180 grams)egg whites ,at room temperature
Instructions
For the páte brisée tart crust
Cut butter into ½ inch cubes. Let chill in the freezer for 5-7 minutes to get cold.
In a bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined.
Add the cubed butter to the flour and mix on low speed until the mixture is coarse like sand and resembles the texture of almond meal; about 3-5 minutes.
Add the ice cold water and vanilla extract and mix just until it starts to come together.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, shape into a round disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Bake the tart crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll the dough out into a 11” circle and fit into a 9” tart pan. Trim the top edges so they’re smooth. Dock the bottom of the tart crust with a fork. Line the tart pan with parchment paper and pour in dried rice or dried beans to act as pie weights. This will prevent the tart shell from shrinking.
Blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven and remove the parchment paper with the dried rice of beans. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
For the cranberry-orange gelée
In a saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, water, and orange juice. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the cranberries start to pop, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Transfer to a blender or Nutribullet and purée until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the skins.
Wipe out the saucepan and add puréed cranberries. Taste test to ensure you've reached your desired sweetness. See note below. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry and whisk into the cranberry purée. Bring to a simmer on medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the cornstarch has cooked off, about 2-4 minutes.
Pour the cranberry gelée into the cooled tart crust and smooth it out using an offset spatula. Let cool to room temperature. In the meantime, prepare the lemon cream next.
For the lemon cream
Combine the sugar with the lemon zest and rub together. Set aside.
Make a double boiler. Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat.
Meanwhile, in a heat-safe bowl that can be fitted on top of the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the eggs. Slowly whisk in the sugar and lemon zest. Then add the lemon juice. Whisk until combined.
Place the bowl on top of the saucepan of simmering water (you do not want it to be boiling), ensuring the bottom of the bowl is not directly touching the water. Whisk constantly until the lemon cream has thickened and reaches 180°F, about 7-10 minutes. Whisking constantly will prevent the eggs from cooking.
As soon as the egg mixture reaches 180°F, turn off heat, remove the bowl, and strain the lemon cream through a fine mesh strainer. If using an immersion blender, strain it into a bowl. If using a blender, strain it directly into the blender. Let cool slightly to 140°F, whisking occasionally; about 8-10 minutes.
If using an immersion blender
Place the immersion blender into the bowl and turn on high ensuring the blender stick is submerged in the lemon cream otherwise it will splatter everywhere. Add a few tablespoons of butter at a time and buzz for about 1-2 minutes to ensure the butter is fully incorporated and emulsified. There should be no chunks of butter and the lemon cream should be a pale yellow color and silky smooth.
If using a blender
Turn blender on high speed and add a few tablespoons of butter at a time, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Continue to add in the butter a few tablespoons at a time and then blend for 2-3 minutes to ensure it is fully incorporated and emulsified. There should be no chunks of butter and the lemon cream should be a pale yellow color and silky smooth.
Pour the lemon cream into the prepared tart shell. Smooth out with an offset spatula. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the cream to prevent it from forming a skin. Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.
For the Italian meringue topping: (make right before serving)
*If you have never made Italian meringue before, read the tips above before starting*
Add the egg whites to a clean bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Gently stir with your index finger until the sugar resembles wet sand and ensuring that you do not get any of the sugar on the sides of the pot. Heat on medium-high heat and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
Once the sugar syrup reaches 200°F, begin whipping the egg whites. Whip just until the egg whites have barely reached soft peaks and are still foamy. Turn off the mixer.
When the syrup has reached 240°F, remove from heat, turn the electric mixer on high, and carefully stream the hot sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into egg whites avoiding the whisk.
Once the sugar has been incorporated, whip on high speed for 1 minute and then reduce the speed to medium and whip until the meringue is still slightly warm. If the meringue is cold, you’ve gone too far. Immediately top the tart with the warm meringue and make peaks with a spoon or offset spatula. Toast with a blow torch.
Notes
Notes about serving and making ahead:It’s best to top the tart with the meringue just right before serving to prevent any weeping. However, if you’d like to get ahead on prep, you can make and blind bake the tart crust ahead of time. And you can also make the lemon cream ahead of time. Simply store it in the fridge for 3-4 days, then give it a stir, and assemble the tart the day of. The tart should be served cold and is best eaten day of. Notes about the cranberry-orange gelée:You may need more sugar depending on your preference. Adjust the sugar to your liking if you think it is too tart, adding a few more tablespoons if needed. I find that the sweetness of cranberries really varies when you buy them at the store and I find some bags to be extremely tart, so I just like to add this note.