*This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. All words and opinions are my own.
Obviously I love baking year round…total given. But Holiday baking? I really really really love holiday baking.
Maybe it’s the flavors. Maybe it’s the scents. Maybe it’s the colors. Maybe it’s just that it’s totally appropriate to go all-out with anything and everything.
Like this tart. It’s simple, really. A White Chocolate Custard Tart. But top it with a pomegranate gelee and all the beautiful red fruits that December has to offer (I might be pushing it with the raspberries but they just happen to be gorgeous right now. What’s a girl to do?) and you end up with a delicate masterpiece that’s ready for any event.
I love a dessert that’s dressed up with organic simplicity. This one lets the fruit do all the work.
And it goes without saying, but no tart is really great unless it’s founded on a crisp, buttery pastry. Bob’s Red Mill lets me make my crust gluten free without a second though thanks to their 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour blend. You can use it just like you would any all-purpose flour, the measurements are the same. I have to admit, it’s pretty nice to not have to blend 5 different flours just to get started on a gluten free recipe. One product makes everything so much simpler. Speaking of all-purpose flour, if gluten free pastries aren’t what I’m after, Bob’s Red Mill always delivers with their Organic All-Purpose flour. You really can’t go wrong.
As is often the case over here, this tart is totally customizable. I used pomegranate juice for the gelee and red fruits to garnish, but you can really do any combo that you like.
White chocolate is the perfect base for so many different things. you could do a citrus based gelee and garnish, or go with persimmons for a really nice winter-appropriate tart.
Or you could forgo fruit all together and top with a chocolate gananche. This tart is your playground!
- FOR THE CRUST:
- 1½ cups Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour or All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Powdered Sugar
- 9 tablespoons Salted Butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 tablespoon Water, cold
- FOR THE CUSTARD FILLING:
- 1¼ cups Heavy Cream (can use Coconut Cream, if desired)
- ½ cup Whole Milk (can use Coconut Milk, if desired)
- 14 ounces White Chocolate, chopped (can use chocolate chips)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- FOR THE POMEGRANATE GELEE:
- 1 cup Pomegranate Juice
- 1½ teaspoons Gelatin
- 1 Red Pear
- Pomegranate Arils
- Fresh Cranberries, sliced cross-wise
- Fresh Raspberries
- Fresh Mint
- FOR THE CRUST:
- Place the flour and powdered sugar in a food processor. Add the cold butter, piece by piece, while processing. Continue to process until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Slowly drizzle the water in while processing, stopping the food processer as soon as the mixture comes together.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead just until it comes together to form a ball. Press the ball into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Make the custard while the dough chills.
- Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough out until it is an even thickness and is two inches in diameter more round than your tart pan. Peel one sheet of parchment paper off of the dough and flip the dough over on to your tart pan. Gently fit the dough into the pan, pressing into the bottom and sides. Roll a rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to make a clean cut line of dough arount the top edge of the pan. Freeze the dough-filled tart pan for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and place a sheet of parchment over the dough. Fill the parchment with beans or dough weights.
- Bake the tart for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the base of the tart is lightly golden.
- Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees.
- Fill the tart with the prepared custard and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the custard is just set. Remove tart from the oven and let cool. Place in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or until custard is firmly set.
- Proceed with making the gelee.
- FOR THE CUSTARD FILLING:
- Place the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the white chocolate. Let sit for 30 seconds and then whisk until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until very smooth.
- FOR THE POMEGRANATE GELEE:
- Place half of the pomegranate juice in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top of the pomegranate juice and let sit for 5 minutes. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook just until the gelatin has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the other half of the pomegranate juice. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, then pour it over the top of the chilled tart, tilting the tart to cover the entire surface. Chill tart for an hour or two, or until gelee sets.
- Cut the pear into thin slices and brush the cut surfaces with lemon juice. Place around the top of the tart.
- Add pomegranate arils, sliced cranberries, raspberries, and mint leaves to the top of the tart.
- Serve chilled, in slices.
Tart and filling recipe adapted from Taste.com.au
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