Cranberry Curd Tart with Einkorn Crust

When cranberries make their appearance in the fall, one of the first things I go to is a cranberry curd tart with einkorn crust (the other being cranberry kvass). I am absolutely fascinated by the color and flavor, and everyone who ever tried it just loves it. The tartness of cranberries is very refreshing alongside apple and pumpkin pies.

Einkorn wheat is healthier than modern wheat

• Einkorn is the oldest cultivated variety of wheat that did not undergo genetic hybridization.
• Einkorn has significantly more vital nutrients like Zinc, Copper, Iron, Magnesium and Selenium than modern wheat (1)(2).
• Einkorn is a lot lower in gluten proteins. Gluten causes negative reaction not just in people with celiac disease, but even those with sensitivity to gluten, or plain regular folks! (3). Since einkorn does contain gluten, it is not acceptable for those with Celiac disease.
• It’s better for your good old arteries, keeping down inflammation (4).

Cranberry curd is adopted from this Cranberry Curd Tart with Hazelnut Crust recipe

HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY CURD TART WITH EINKORN CRUST

Ingredients
Tart Shell:
1 cup all-purpose einkorn flour
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
4 tablespoons (55g) cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup (100g) farmers cheese (can substitute ricotta, drained for 30 minutes; how to make farmers cheese at home; LifeWay brand is available at most grocery stores, look for milk being the only ingredient)
Cranberry Curd:
4 cups cranberries
1 cup (225g) sugar
Juice and peel of 1 orange
8 tablespoons butter (113g), softened
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

Equipment
Mini food processor
Large cutting board, for rolling out dough
9″ tart pan
Cookie sheet + parchment paper
Stamp cutouts
Citrus squeezer / citrus zester
Small sauce pan

Instructions
To Make Tart Shell:
Place 1 cup einkorn flour, 1 tablespoon sugar (if using) and 4 tablespoons butter in a mini food processor, pulse 2-3 of times until you see medium crumbs.

Add farmers cheese or ricotta, and process until dough starts to come together.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface, and form a ball.

Pinch off about one fourth of the dough to make leaf cutouts.
Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
Roll the dough out to fit your tart pan.

Transfer it to the pan. Trim the edges with a knife, holding the knife parallel to the counter, add the trimmings to the small dough ball.

Poke holes in the bottom of the dough crust (this will prevent it from rising and forming bubbles). Bake for 12 minutes, or until it just starts to turn golden.
While the crust is baking, prepare leaves – roll the small dough ball out and cut out the shapes. Place them to the cookie sheet.

Bake at 350ºF for 7-10 minutes, until the edges just start turning golden.

To Make Cranberry Curd:
Put 4 cups cranberries, 1 cup sugar, orange juice and peel in a saucepan over medium heat.
Simmer until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes.

Place cranberries into a blender (I use high-powered), process and transfer to a cleaned saucepan. Whisk the butter into the warm liquid.
Put eggs and egg yolks into a small bowl, and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together.

Return liquid to pot and cook over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Pour cooled cranberry curd into the tart shell, and smooth top with spatula.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes to set curd.
Decorate with leaf cutouts.
Cool completely before slicing.

Print Recipe

Cranberry Curd Tart with Einkorn Crust

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Ingredients

TART SHELL

• 1 cup all-purpose einkorn flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar optional
• 4 tablespoons 55g cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup 100g farmers cheese (can substitute ricotta, drained for 30 minutes; how to make farmers cheese at home; LifeWay brand is available at most grocery stores, look for milk being the only ingredient)

CRANBERRY CURD

• 4 cups cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• Juice and peel of 1 orange
• 8 tablespoons butter softened
• 2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

Instructions

TO MAKE TART SHELL

• Place 1 cup einkorn flour, 1 tablespoon sugar (if using) and 4 tablespoons butter in a mini food processor, pulse 2-3 of times until you see medium crumbs.
• Add farmers cheese or ricotta, and process until dough starts to come together.
• Turn the dough onto a floured work surface, and form a ball.
• Pinch off about one fourth of the dough to make leaf cutouts.
• Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
• Roll the dough out to fit your tart pan.
• Transfer it to the pan. Trim the edges with a knife, holding the knife parallel to the counter, add the trimmings to the small dough ball.
• Poke holes in the bottom of the dough crust (this will prevent it from rising and forming bubbles). Bake for 12 minutes, or until it just starts to turn golden.
• While the crust is baking, prepare leaves - roll the small dough ball out and cut out the shapes. Place them to the cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350ºF for 7-10 minutes, until the edges just start turning golden.

TO MAKE CRANBERRY CURD

• Put 4 cups cranberries, 1 cup sugar, orange juice and peel in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Simmer until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes.
• Place into a blender (preferably high-powered), process and transfer liquid into a cleaned saucepan. Whisk 8 tablespoons of butter into the warm liquid.
• Put 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks into a small bowl, and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together.
• Return liquid to pot and cook over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Pour cooled cranberry curd into the tart shell, and smooth top with spatula.
• Bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes to set curd.
• Decorate with leaf cutouts.
• Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

You can strain the cooked cranberries to get visually smoother curd, but I prefer to have cranberry skins in my curd since they contain a lot of nutritional goodness - why waste it?