advertisement

Boozy Dried-Fruit Tart

1 pound dried fruit

½ cup inexpensive brandy

Wide strips of zest (little to no pith) and juice of 1 medium orange

One 3-inch cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Flour, for the work surface

2 disks of refrigerated homemade or store-bought pie dough (enough for a double-crust pie)

Heavy cream, for brushing

Combine the dried fruit, brandy, strips of orange zest and the cinnamon stick in a deep, 1-quart bowl or jar. Cover and soak for at least 24 hours (and up to 1 month), turning the fruit occasionally.

Drain the fruit, reserving the brandy and discarding the cinnamon stick. Chop the fruit and orange zest into small dice either by hand or in the food processor; if using the latter, pulse quickly to retain as much texture as possible.

Whisk together the orange juice and cornstarch in a medium saucepan until smooth. Place over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened a bit. Remove from the heat and whisk in the brandy. Add the diced fruit, stirring until well incorporated. Cool completely.

Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out one of the disks of pie dough to a round that's 11 inches in diameter. Carefully transfer to the tart pan; press lightly against the sides and bottom. Fold over and tuck in the dough overhang, pressing lightly against the side of the tart pan to form a sturdy, thicker edge. Fill with the fruit mixture.

Roll out the remaining disk of dough to a round that's 11 inches in diameter. To form a lattice, cut the round into 10 strips of equal width; drape or weave them over the filling as you like. (Trim off and discard excess dough at the edges and press to seal.) Or use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes in the 11-inch round of dough and arrange them over the filling as you like. Make sure that the dough shapes just touch each other or overlap a bit here and there, and that there's enough space between them for the filling to bubble up and for steam to escape as the tart bakes.

Place the tart, uncovered, on a level surface in the freezer; freeze for 8 hours, then wrap the frozen pie carefully: Place a layer of parchment paper over the surface, then wrap the pie first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Label the top of the foil with the contents and directions for baking.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the tart from the freezer, unwrap and place on the baking sheet. Lightly brush the top with heavy cream. Bake the still-frozen tart (middle rack) for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 35 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.

Let the tart cool for at least 30 minutes before serving, or cool completely before storing.

8 servings (makes one 9-inch tart or four 4-inch tarts)

Nutrition: Per serving: 410 calories, 4 g protein, 54 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 23 g sugar

- Cathy Barrow

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.