Cranberries never seem to get their due. At Thanksgiving we mash them into chunky, oft neglected sauces. Face it—no matter how tasty it may be, no one asks for seconds on cranberry sauce. Once that holiday passes, we shove string through their waxy, red skins and fling them across fir trees. The rest of the year we squeeze out their tart, crimson juice for fruit cocktails or dry them until withered and toss them into scones and salads. All and all, not very dignified ways to use such a spectacular fruit.
Native to North America, cranberries were a favorite of Native Americans and European settlers. They made them into compotes, jams, sauces, soups, tarts, cakes, breads and wine. Sometimes they dried them. Other times they ate them straight from the vine.
Unquestionably, the settlers knew a good fruit when they saw one. High in antioxidants and fiber, cranberries go well with a myriad of foods and flavors. As you might expect, they pair beautifully with apples, cinnamon, cloves, chicken, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and turkey. They also make a good partner for apricots, goat cheese, dark chocolate, oats, peaches, pork and wild game. Their tart flavor marries nicely with allspice, cognac, ginger, honey, lemon juice, orange juice, star anise, vanilla and white wine.
Grown on moors and mountainsides as well as in bogs, these hardy little berries possess a natural preservative that gives them an especially long shelf life. No doubt this is why sailors and whalers packed the vitamin C-rich fruit on ocean voyages; they lasted for ages and they prevented scurvy. Whole, fresh cranberries will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator or for over 1 year in the freezer.
This season, rather than mashing or stringing them up on your Christmas tree, try making a cranberry tart, soup or cake. You’ll be surprised how delicious these little guys will be.
The following tart is one of my all-time favorite ways to use cranberries. Blanketed with homemade royal icing, it has a luscious, sweetly tart taste that any dessert lover will adore. Finally, cranberries get their due!
CRANBERRY BAKEWELL TART
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Feast (Hyperion, 2004)
Serves 8 to 10
for the cranberry jam:
2 cups cranberries
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
for the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, diced
1 egg, beaten
pinch of salt
1-3 tablespoons iced water
for the filling and icing:
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 cup cranberry jam (see above)
1 1/4 cup ground almonds
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 large egg whites
To make the jam, put a few tablespoons of water in a large saucepan. Add the cranberries and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring periodically. Cook for 7 minutes or until the cranberries reach a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
To make the pastry, place the flour, almonds and confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse to combine. Add the diced butter and pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly and almost oatmeal-like.
In a bowl beat together the egg, salt and iced water. Turn on the food processor or blender and, as it’s processing, pour in the liquids so that the pastry binds together. If necessary, add more water until you have a smooth dough.
Form the pastry into a flat disc, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
To make the filling and icing, melt the butter and set aside to cool.
Beat together the sugar, eggs and zest. Add the melted butter and stir in the ground almonds.
Roll out the pastry dough to fit a 10-inch, deep, fluted tart pan. Lay the pastry in the pan, pressing down to fit it in, and then prick the bottom with a fork. Spread the cranberry jam over the dough and then pour the almond mixture over the jam.
Bake for 45 minutes, until the filling is puffy and the pastry golden. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
Once the tart has cooled, make the icing. In a large bowl beat together the egg whites, sugar and orange juice. If the icing appears too thin, add more sugar; too thick, add more egg whites. You want the icing to be somewhat thick but spreadable. Spread over the tart and allow it to set before serving.