summary

A perfect seasonal holiday dessert that is as pretty as it is delicious. There are a few steps in this white chocolate cranberry tart recipe, so you will want to set aside some time—however, it can be made ahead and it is absolutely worth the effort! An easy press-in crust, a tart cranberry jam and a luxurious layer of creamy white chocolate make this a showstopper.

ingredients

Filling Ingredients
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
Shell Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Topping Ingredients
1 (11-ounce) package white chocolate chips
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Garnish Ingredients (optional)
¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
¼ cup water
1 cup fresh cranberries

directions

To make the cranberry filling, add the cranberries, sugar, orange juice and zest to a pan and set over medium heat. Stir occasionally until thickened and cranberries begin to pop open, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make the tart shell, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and heavy cream and stir to combine. Then use your hands to pull the dough together.
Coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with a non-stick cooking spray. Add about ⅔ of the dough to the bottom of the pan and use your hands to coat the bottom of the tart pan evenly. Wedge the remainder of the dough into the sides of the pan. You want a nice even layer on the bottom and sides for even cooking time. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
To make the white chocolate layer, place the white chocolate chips into a mixing bowl. In a small pan set over medium heat, warm the cream and butter until the butter is melted. Pour the cream and butter over the chips and whisk until smooth.
To assemble the tart, scoop the cranberry filling into the tart shell and use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer. Pour the white chocolate over the cranberry layer in an even layer. Transfer the tart to the refrigerator to chill overnight.
To make the sugared cranberries garnish, place ¼ cup of the sugar and the water in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat and stir in the cranberries. Let them sit for 5 minutes and then use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to a cooling rack set on top of a baking sheet and let them dry for 1 hour. Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar to a bowl and toss the cranberries in the sugar. Transfer the sugared cranberries to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and let them fully dry for another hour.
When ready to serve, garnish tart with sugared cranberries and cut into wedges.

notes

For a beautiful and festive garnish, use sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

You can make this white chocolate cranberry tart recipe 2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated.

You can prep the sugared cranberries an hour or up to 24 hours in advance, kept in the refrigerator. If they need a refresh, you can toss the cranberries in sugar again just before garnishing the tart.

It is ok to use fresh or frozen cranberries to make the tart filling, but you need fresh cranberries for the sugared garnish (frozen won’t work well because they hold too much moisture).

There is no need to fill the tart pan with baking weights with this recipe; the dough will hold its shape.

If you are really short on time, you can use a premade cranberry jam.