Cranberry Curd Tart (Print Version)

A crisp buttery crust paired with silky cranberry curd, ideal for festive or refreshing treats.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tart Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 tablespoons ice water

→ Cranberry Curd

07 - 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup water
10 - 1 tablespoon orange zest
11 - 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
12 - 1/8 teaspoon salt
13 - 4 large egg yolks
14 - 2 large eggs
15 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

→ Garnish (optional)

16 - Fresh cranberries
17 - Powdered sugar
18 - Whipped cream

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and ice water, pulsing until dough just comes together.
03 - Press dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, covering base and sides. Prick base with fork.
04 - Freeze crust for 15 minutes. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes; remove weights and parchment, then bake 10–12 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
05 - Combine cranberries, sugar, water, orange zest, orange juice, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until cranberries burst, about 10 minutes.
06 - Puree mixture using blender or immersion blender until smooth. Strain through fine mesh sieve into saucepan, discarding solids.
07 - Whisk eggs and yolks in a bowl. Slowly whisk a small amount of warm cranberry mixture into eggs, then pour egg mixture back into saucepan.
08 - Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and curd coats back of spoon, about 5–7 minutes without boiling.
09 - Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth and glossy.
10 - Pour cranberry curd into cooled crust and smooth top.
11 - Chill tart at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with fresh cranberries, powdered sugar, or whipped cream as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cranberry curd has this luxurious, silky texture that feels fancy but comes together in under an hour
  • It's the perfect conversation starter at gatherings—people are always surprised by the tart-sweet combination
  • You can make it ahead, which means less stress when entertaining
02 -
  • Don't skip the blind baking—a raw or soggy bottom crust will haunt you, so those 25 minutes are absolutely worth it
  • The cranberry curd will seem thin when it comes off the heat, but it thickens beautifully as it cools, so trust the process
  • Temperature control is everything with this curd; one moment of high heat can turn it grainy, so low and slow wins the race
03 -
  • A warm knife dipped in hot water between cuts gives you clean, beautiful slices instead of ragged edges
  • If your filling is too thin after chilling, you cooked it just a touch too much; next time, pull it off the heat a minute earlier
  • Brush the inside of your cooled crust with a thin layer of melted chocolate before adding the curd for an elegant twist and a moisture barrier

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