It’s been a busy week of baking and cooking! Christmas was very generous to Baker’s Theory and there are lots of new kitchen toys to play with, one of which is a set of new tart pans!
Cranberry and orange are very nicely matched flavors of bitter, sour, and sweet. They are also classic winter flavors. So even though Christmas is over, whip this up all winter long. A close friend of mine makes a version of this called “Cranberries in the Snow,” and it is a stunning dish.
Now this doesn’t take long and you’ll have a lovely, New-Years-resolution-friendly dessert.
The fruit compote/jam is composed of a 12-oz pack of fresh cranberries, a Valencia orange, and three peeled persimmons plus a juiced lemon and a pinch of cornstarch. Citrus fruits (especially peels) such as oranges and lemons have a high pectin content and pectin is a natural gelatin. Adding them to a jam is what makes them gel!
The crust is made from ground up honey wheat pretzels (Trader Joe’s has good ones, although, Ritz crackers work well too!), 3/4 cup of butter, and 1/3 cup white sugar. It is perfectly buttery with a touch of sweetness.
The filling is a block of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of white sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract, but you can make it with an orange liqueur instead!
It’s wonderfully balanced between sweet, salty, creamy, and tart. Everyone will love it!
Ingredients
For the compote
1/2 orange, sliced
6 oz fresh cranberries
2 persimmons, peeled
Juice of 1 lemon
A pinch of cornstarch
1 cup white sugar
For the crust
1 1/2 cup finely ground honey wheat pretzels
1/2 cup finely ground walnuts (almond flour is an acceptable substitute!)
1/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup softened butter
For the filling
8 oz block of cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (or Gran Marnier)
Instructions
For the compote (can be made up to a week before)
In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, mash orange, cranberries, persimmons. Juice lemon over the mash and add 1/4 tsp cornstarch and sugar. Continue mashing until most cranberries are broken open and the juice is released from the fruit. Put on high heat until it boils for a full minute. Transfer to a heat-safe bowl and chill for at least an hour in refrigerator.
For the crust
Combine ground up pretzels with ground up walnuts, sugar, and butter. Mix with either a standing mixer or your hands until it sticks together. Press it into a 9″ tart pan or springform pan. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until golden on the edges. Cool on a wire rack.
For the filling
Combine cream cheese with sugar and extract using a standing or hand mixer until whipped and fluffy. Spread over cooled crust.
Last, add the chilled compote on top of the cream cheese filling and serve.