Cranberry-Gorgonzola Tart on Savory Walnut Shortbread Crust
From Yankee Magazine — November 2006
Fruit Recipes
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 1.5 hours
Yield: 10 servings
This makes a great first course, served with a simple salad.
- 3/4 cup walnut halves
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup cherry or strawberry preserves
- 1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
- 2 tablespoons Kirsch or other cherry brandy or liqueur
- 6 ounces Gorgonzola dolce or other blue cheese, softened
- Garnish: fresh whole sage leaves and walnut halves
Heat oven to 300°. Place walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until ground, making sure not to overprocess into a paste. Add flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and sage and pulse to incorporate. Add butter and pulse to form a coarse meal, about 30 seconds. Press dough into an ungreased 10-inch springform pan (or an 11x8-inch tart pan with removable bottom). Bake until light golden brown, about 55 minutes. Cool completely, then release from pan.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook preserves until melted. Add cranberries, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and cherry brandy. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until cranberries have lost their shape, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Spread Gorgonzola over tart crust in a thin, even layer. Top with a thin layer of the cooked cranberry mixture. Garnish with sage and walnut pieces. Divide into 10 even slices.
Reviews by Readers
I would make the crust a little thinner and add a thicker layer of gorgonzola. The flavor is supurb! – Anonymous Review
This is a great taste sensation and certainly something new to add to the holiday food festivities. I agree that the crust can be thinner, and so I moved up to a larger fluted tart pan, doubling the gorgonzola. I sprayed the pan first with Pam -- this was the only way to remove it undamaged. I have made this 4 times since I first read about it. Even decorated it with the fresh sage sprigs and walnut halves! Now, it's a must-have. – Reviewed by Pat Logan
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