Cranberry Orange Tart (Paleo, Gluten-free, Dairy-free) & Pompeian Grapeseed Oil

I had this bag of cranberries left over from Thanksgiving that was begging to be used up, and it had been far too long since I'd made any kind of a curd.  The folks at Pompeian sent me a bottle of their grapeseed oil spray, and it gave me the perfect idea: a cranberry orange tart that would give me the chance to use up my cranberries, make a curd, and finally do something with my tart pan.

I am so pleased with how this tart turned out!  Just looking at it makes me really happy.  The cranberry orange curd is just tart enough, but still plenty sweet thanks to the honey.  The crust is a delicious combination of almonds and pecans with a touch of Pompeian olive oil.  The whipped cream on top seals the deal.  Also, how gorgeous are those cranberries and those orange zest curls?  I'm obsessed with looking at pictures of this tart.  And also with eating it.  I did share some with my mom, though, and she said it was one of the best things I've ever made!  If you don't have cranberries on hand, this tart would also be fabulous with any other kind of curd--try classic lemon, dairy-free lemon, or strawberry.  The curd possibilities are endless!  This cranberry orange curd would be equally delicious on pancakes, toast, scones or ice cream if you don't feel like making a tart.  A jar of curd also makes a wonderful homemade gift!

I used Pompeian grapeseed oil spray to grease the tart pan for this recipe. It worked well, although I did have to loosen the sides a bit with a knife. After that, though, the tart popped right out. I have also used the spray to grease a mini muffin pan for brownie cups, and to grease a skillet for scrambled eggs. It worked perfectly for both of those, and I'm happy to have it in my kitchen.  The spray bottle allows you to cover a lot of surface area with a small amount of oil. The oil is also not strongly flavored, so you can use it for both sweet and savory dishes, and has a relatively high smoke point, which makes it great for stir-fries. The spray bottle contains 100% grapeseed oil from France, and is not diluted with propellants or anything else.

Click here to take a quick survey about Pompeian and be entered to win a $200 gift card.  Also, you can like Pompeian on facebook or get a coupon for $1.00 off here.  To see my review of Pompeian's olive oil (and a delicious recipe for roasted vegetable soup), read this post.  

Ingredients (makes one 8 or 9" round tart):

For the cranberry orange curd:

1 cup cranberries, washed and picked over

Zest of one orange (about 2 teaspoons), divided

Juice of half an orange (about 3 tablespoons)

3/4 cup honey

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the pecan crust (adapted from Against All Grain):

1 cup pecans, crushed into a powder*

1 and 1/4 cups almond flour

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Pompeian olive oil

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla 

Pinch of salt

For serving:

3/4 cup heavy cream, or coconut cream from 1 (14-ounce) can of coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Orange zest (I used a vegetable peeler to make long ribbons of zest for the garnish)
Cranberries

Pompeian grapeseed oil spray, for greasing the pan

*I recommend using a food processor to get the pecans finely ground.  Mine is broken, so I had to take a different approach involving a zip-top bag and a kitchen mallet.  Ideally, your pecans will be almost as finely ground as your almond flour.

To make the cranberry curd, place the cranberries, orange zest and juice, and honey in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly, until the berries have burst and the surrounding liquid is dark pink and a bit syrupy.  Cool slightly, then puree with an immersion or regular blender.  Strain the mixture, pushing on the solids to extract as much cranberry syrup as possible.  Save the solids if you like--they make a delicious cranberry orange compote.  Wash the saucepan out, and return the cranberry syrup to it.

Beat the eggs and egg yolks together in a small bowl.  Whisking constantly, slowly pour the eggs into the saucepan with the warm cranberry syrup.  Add the salt and vanilla.  Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon (about 15 minutes).  Remove from the heat and let cool.  The curd will thicken a little more as it cools down.

Cranberry curd will keep in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week, so you can make it several days before you make the tart.

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 325.  Use Pompeian grapeseed oil spray to grease the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, and set aside on a baking sheet.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a fork until the dough comes together.  Press the dough into the tart pan and prick it a few times with a fork.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden.  Let the crust cool completely before proceeding.  To unmold the crust, carefully slide a thin knife around the edges to loosen it, then remove the side of the pan.  I like to leave the bottom of the pan with the tart for easy transport & slicing.

When you are ready to serve the tart, beat the heavy cream or coconut cream with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks, then beat in the maple syrup and vanilla.  Spread the cranberry curd on top of the crust, and top with whipped cream or coconut whipped cream, orange zest, and cranberries.  Slice into wedges and serve.  The tart will keep, refrigerated, for up to three days, but it's best to fill the crust right before you plan to serve it.

Disclosure:  I received free product from Pompeian via Smiley360 in order to write this review.  All opinions are my own.

**Did you know you can support A Calculated Whisk by clicking here to visit Amazon for your holiday shopping? When you access Amazon through my link, I receive a very small commission based on any items you purchase. It won't affect the prices you pay at all. Thank you so much for your support!

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