Here’s something new for this blog – a recipe I’ve never actually made. But my wife makes it all the time, and I’ve watched her, and eaten it a lot, so that counts. Plus the ricotta maple mint topping springs from my own special genius, which is to annoy everyone who would prefer something simpler, like whipped cream. Sometimes it’s tough to be creative – tough on others, that is; I’m fine with the ricotta.
But let’s put off the question of toppings for the moment and consider this pretty, refreshing, crisply tart layer of native cranberries topped with a simple, sweet batter that gets poured on before baking. It’s a snap to make and cooks like a cobbler, but in my wife’s excellent edited version, it eats like a pie. It was her father’s favorite dessert, and is a staple at family events as well as more intimate occasions.
OK, now back to the toppings. Suppose you want to turn your back on the Bovine Industrial Complex, and make your own darned ricotta. Kudos to you; you should definitely do this. Or maybe you can get a really nice authentic version made from post-Mozzarella whey, or you just pick up some whole milk ricotta at the supermarket. It all works; you just add chopped fresh mint and a little maple syrup and thin it with cream.
It’s especially good with this because the tart really is tart, and we serve it in small pieces. The ricotta mint adds substance to little bites, is just a bit sweeter than the pie itself, and has a nice mint afterglow that sets you up for the next forkful. Just have some whipped cream in the fridge for non-believers. Or vanilla ice cream. What could be simpler than that?
Recipe: Cranberry Pourover Tart with Maple Mint Ricotta
A simple and refreshing cranberry tart with a minty ricotta topping.
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Preheat oven to 325. Butter and lightly flour a 9" pie or tart pan. Spread cranberries in the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with the nuts and the half cup of sugar.
In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, juice or liqueur, orange peel, sugar and flour. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth.
Pour the batter over the cranberries. Bake in the 325 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cover lightly to store. For the ricotta topping: whisk together the ricotta, mint, and maple syrup. Add cream or milk, a little at a time, to thin the cheese as needed. It should have about the consistency of mashed potatoes. To serve, garnish small pieces of the tart with a scoop of ricotta and a mint sprig.
Just so you know - the original recipe called for double the amount of batter, but we found it overwhelmed both the cranberries and a typical pie plate. This recipe makes a beautiful small tart that will serve eight. It does need a nice, soothing topping. The ricotta does it for me, but it goes almost as well with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Butter and lightly flour a 9" pie or tart pan. Spread cranberries in the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with the nuts and the half cup of sugar.
In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, juice or liqueur, orange peel, sugar and flour. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth.
Pour the batter over the cranberries. Bake in the 325 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cover lightly to store. For the ricotta topping: whisk together the ricotta, mint, and maple syrup. Add cream or milk, a little at a time, to thin the cheese as needed. It should have about the consistency of mashed potatoes. To serve, garnish small pieces of the tart with a scoop of ricotta and a mint sprig.
Just so you know - the original recipe called for double the amount of batter, but we found it overwhelmed both the cranberries and a typical pie plate. This recipe makes a beautiful small tart that will serve eight. It does need a nice, soothing topping. The ricotta does it for me, but it goes almost as well with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.