Pecan & Cranberry Tart

• 127g butter-room temperature and soft
• 85g icing/powdered sugar
• 227g flour
• 2 egg yolks, reserve 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cream/milk

1. Using a hand beater, or the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat the butter and sugar. When it is pale, thick and creamy, add the egg yolks, cream and vanilla.
2. Add the flour and salt, mix until just incorporated.
3. Tip the crumbly dough onto a cool surface and form into a ball.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and rest in a cool spot for 20minutes.
5. Once rested, press the dough into a greased tart or pie dish (23cm), prick with a fork all over the base.
6. Place the shell into the freezer for 30minutes while your oven heats up to 180 degrees Celsius.
7. To prepare your tart shell for blind baking, line the pastry with baking paper and fill with rice and dried beans. If you have baking beads, you can use those.
8. Put the shell into the oven and bake for 20minutes. When the time is up, remove the baking beads/beans, place the
9. shell back into the oven to bake for a further 10minutes, watch that the pastry turns golden, but not too dark. If it is browning too fast, turn your oven down to 170 degrees.
10. Take the shell out of the oven, brush with the egg white and place back to cook for 5-10 minutes. The shell should be golden and firm.
11. Allow the shell to cool while you make the filling.

• 200g pecan nuts
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 120g butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 200g fresh/frozen/dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 2 tablespoons flour

1. Cream the butter and half the sugar together until pale, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
2. Add the remaining sugar, cranberries, spices and zest to a saucepan.
3. Add the orange juice to the cornflour and mix until it is a paste with no lumps.
4. Add the paste to the saucepan and gently simmer the mixture for about 5minutes. When the mixture has thickened, it is ready to come off the heat.
5. Cool the cranberry mixture and then fold it through the creamed eggs, butter and sugar.
6. Add the mixture to the prepared pie shell and arrange the pecan halves on top.
7. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-35 minutes. The mixture should have a little jiggle to it still.
8. When the tart is cooled, remove it from the tin.
9. Serve it on its own, or with whipped cream with orange zest and vanilla essence folded through.