Cranberry Linzer Torte

With a crust that rivals the best holiday cookie, this linzer torte features warm spices, ground nuts, and a vibrant, lightly sweet yet tart cranberry filling.  Topped with a generous lattice that makes dessert gorgeous and rustic at the same time, consider this your invitation to bake up a bit of holiday magic.

In place of traditional almonds or hazelnuts, I include pecans and/or walnuts in this recipe as they pair so well with cranberry, though you can customize using your favorite ground nuts if preferred.  They make the crust incredibly flavorful and ensure this cranberry linzer torte will be the jewel of the dessert table – even more so for the  deepest of reds visible through the lattice.

Ingredients

Filling

12 ounces fresh or frozen whole cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
Juice of 1 orange plus enough water to make ¾ cup liquid
Pinch of kosher salt
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pastry

¾ cup finely ground pecans and/or walnuts
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs (one for egg wash on pastry)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: confectioners’ sugar for topping

How to Make the Cranberry Filling

With the sweet and nutty crust of the linzer torte, a cranberry filling with a light amount of sweetness and tart notes pairs deliciously, though you can adjust the amount of sugar based on your preference for a sweeter middle.

Combine cranberries, liquid, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes or until the berries have burst and the jam has thickened.  A spoon traced across the bottom of the pot should leave a trail.

Allow filling to cool to room temperature.  There should be about 2 cups.  Puree half using an immersion blender, stand blender, or food processor.  Stir into the remaining filling with ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract.

How to Make the Linzer Torte Pastry

Place a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom on a baking sheet.

Pulse nuts in a food processor until finely ground.  (The exact measurement of nuts it will take to reach ¾ cup will vary by the type and whether you have purchased them whole or chopped.) Combine ground nuts, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until well-combined. Next add flour mixture in 2 to 3 additions on low speed, mixing until incorporated. The dough will be soft.

Divide the dough in two even portions.  Roll one portion between two sheets of flour-dusted parchment until it begins to approach the size of the tart pan bottom.  Gently place the dough into the tart pan and press the rest of the way into the edges of the pan and up the sides.  (Alternately, you can skip rolling the dough and simply press pieces of it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.) Cover the unbaked tart shell.

Press the remaining half of dough into a flat square and wrap.

Refrigerate the tart shell and remaining dough for 30 minutes.

How to Form the Lattice Top

For a tutorial of how to weave a lattice top, check out this brief video.  Follow the same pattern with the eight strips of dough referenced below.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

After 30 minutes of refrigeration, remove the unrolled dough.  Allow the tart shell to continue chilling.

Roll the dough between flour-dusted pieces of parchment into an approximate 10-inch square.  Chill in freezer for 15 minutes.

Using a pastry cutting wheel or knife, cut at least 8, 1-inch wide strips.  You may wish to cut 2 additional in case any break.  If the dough has become too soft to lift strips off the parchment, transfer the whole sheet to a baking tray and refrigerate for a few minutes to firm up.

Once ready to create the lattice top, remove the chilled tart pan and evenly spread cooled cranberry filling inside.

Lay four parallel lattice strips over the filling, spacing them evenly.  Fold back strips 1 and 3 just enough to lay the first perpendicular strip then return strips 1 and 3 to their original position.

Next fold back strips 2 and 4 over the first perpendicular strip.  Lay another perpendicular strip across the tart, then return strips 2 and 4 to their original position.

Repeat until all four perpendicular strips have been woven into the lattice.  Trim the excess dough by pressing gently against the edge of the tart pan.

Whisk egg with a splash of water or cream and brush gently on lattice.

Bake the linzer torte for about 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

How to Release the Linzer Torte from the Pan

Fluted tart pans with removable bottoms yield a beautiful outer crust that can be showcased. After the tart has cooled for about 20 minutes, place it on a small stand or large can that does not touch the outer edge. Make sure the crust is not adhering to the outer ring (use a paring knife to gently separate the crust from the sides if necessary), and gently slide it down onto the counter. Be gentle with the tart now that its outer crust is not protected by a pan, moving it and lifting it from the bottom only

Cool completely before serving and optionally topping with confectioners sugar.