Lemon Cranberry Swirl Tart; I have had you on my mind for quite some time. However, life likes to dole out lemons which is a great time for lemonade, or a lemon tart. I promise not only is this is simply delicious, all components are simple to create!
The tart is creamy with a homemade cranberry jam infused with a little orange juice. This winning combination is baked into a buttery shortbread crust and serve with sugared cranberries.
These beautiful little sugared berries are the same ones in Cranberry Sour Cream Pie. Cranberries hit the grocers in my area the first week of October. Oh happy day!
I would suggest making the sugared cranberries first as they need a little drying time. The raw berries are dipped in simple syrup and then placed on a rack to air dry about 25 minutes. They will be nice and sticky to roll around in sugar.
While the cranberries are drying, make the cranberry orange jam. Place the cranberries, water, orange juice and sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Simmer for about 7 to 9 minutes, or until they all pop. Remove from heat, let cool, and use an immersion blender or pulse in blender for a few seconds, enough to break up berries. This also makes it easier to swirl into lemon filling.
The shortbread crust is a cinch, no rolling out. The dry ingredients are stirred together, then the butter is cut in until crumbly, and stir in an egg yolk to hold it all together. Press the dough into a prepared 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 F and remove from oven.
Gluten Free and Dairy Free options:
- Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1, or my own Gluten Free Flour Mix is perfect for this tart recipe
- Use Earth Balance butter spread as substitute in crust
- Dairy-Free sweetened condensed milk is available at most supermarkets alongside the dairy version
Last but not least, the lemon filling. Beat the egg yolks; add salt, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice. Pour the filling into the shortbread crust, drop large spoonfuls of cranberry jam onto filling. Swirl with a knife, pushing some jam down into filling.
Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes, remove from oven. Let your tart cool a bit and then place in fridge for 1 to 2 hours to completely cool. Serve with sugared cranberries with/without powdered sugar on top.
Lemon Cranberry Swirl Tart was a joy to make and I will be making another, soon. Have a fantabulous week pie peeps. I am sending you all thoughts of joy in your happy kitchen places.
Lemon Cranberry Swirl Tart
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust (10-inch tart pan)
- 1 cup all-purpose (or gluten-free) flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 1 egg yolk
- Dash of salt
Cranberry Orange Jam
- 1-3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (about 6 ounce)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup water
Sugared Cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/3 cup additional granulated sugar for coating
Lemon Filling
- 3 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (or non-dairy sweetened condensed milk)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- Dash of salt
Instructions
Sugared Cranberries
- Combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small sauce pan on medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved (about 3 to 4 minutes).
- Remove the sauce pan from heat and add the cranberries. Stir gently to coat cranberries and remove cranberries immediately with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack to let dry. (The cranberries may start popping if left too long in the hot simple syrup.)
- After the berries have cooled and dried (about 25-30 minutes), they will be nice and sticky. Roll them in the additional granulated sugar. Let them sit in sugar until ready to use. Use as garnish for your pie. Store in fridge for 2 weeks.
Shortbread Crust (9 or 10-inch tart pan)
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- Use cooking spray to coat a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- In a medium sized bowl, stir in the dry ingredients.
- Cut in the butter with a large fork until very crumbly.
- Add the egg yolk and stir until the mixture forms a ball.
- Press with fingers and smooth out with the back of a measure cup to help press out corners of tart pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, if any bubbles appear gently press them down by hand while warm. Let cool while preparing remainer of tart.
Cranberry Orange Jam
- Place all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until all cranberries have popped, about 7 to 9 minutes.
- Set aside, let cool, and use immersion blender or pulse in other blender to break up the berries. Place in fridge until ready to use.
Lemon Filling and Assembly
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl, use a whisk and beat egg yolks until fairly smooth.
- Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk in thoroughly with egg yolks.
- Carefully whisk in lemon juice until completely combined and pour into prepared tart shell.
- Place prepared tart pan on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Drop spoonfuls of cranberry jam on top of filling and use a knife to swirl in, pushing down on some of the jam as you swirl. (You will have about 1/2 cup of jam leftover.)
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool. Place in refrigerator until completely cooled, about 1 to 2 hours before serving. Serve with powdered sugar and sugared cranberries.
