Cranberry-Almond Tart

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup (5 ounces) almond paste
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries (3 cups)
• Lemon peel strips (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Mix salt and 1 cup flour. With pastry blender cut in 4 tablespoons cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with fork after each addition until dough is just moist enough to hold together. Shape dough into a disk; wrap with plastic wrap and freeze until firm enough to roll, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in food processor with knife blade attached, blend almond paste, 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 4 tablespoons softened butter or butter until smooth. Add eggs and remaining 3 tablespoons flour; blend until mixed.
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
4. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12 inch round. Press dough onto bottom and up side of 10 x 1-inch round tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in and press against side of tart pan to form a thicker edge. With fork, prick dough all over to prevent puffing and shrinking during baking.
5. Freeze until dough is firm, about 10 minutes.
6. Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights.
7. Bake tart shell 15 minutes; remove foil with weights and bake 10 minutes longer or until golden.
8. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Fill hot tart shell with almond filling. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer until almond filling is slightly puffed and golden. Cool in pan on wire rack.
10. While tart shell is baking, in a 2 quart saucepan over high heat, heat orange peel, 1 cup cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly and cranberries pop.
11. Stir in remaining 2 cups cranberries. Set aside until cool.
12. Remove almond-filled tart shell from pan.