**Snowflake Cranberry-Pecan Tarts**

Allergens

Wheat (Gluten) - present in the tart shells.
Dairy - present in the butter used for the tart shells.
Nuts - present in the pecans used in the filling.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all
• purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice
• cold water
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• A pinch of salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and mix using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly drizzle in the ice cold water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In another bowl, mix the cranberries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pecans, orange zest, orange juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the tart shells.
3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out eight circles using a cookie cutter or glass that is slightly larger than the size of your tart pan openings. Gently press each circle into the tart pans, trim off any excess dough, and prick the bottoms with a fork.
4. Fill each tart shell with the cranberry pecan mixture, ensuring not to overfill them. In a small bowl, beat the egg and brush it lightly over the edges of the tart shells.
5. Bake the tarts in your preheated oven for 25 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling bubbles up through the slits on top. Allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before carefully removing them from the pans.
6. Just before serving, dust the tarts with confectioners' sugar to create a fluffy snowfall effect.

Chef’s Insight

Make sure you do not overfill the tart shells with the cranberry mixture, as it may cause the pastry to become soggy during baking.
For a more pronounced orange flavor, add a splash of orange liqueur to the filling instead of orange juice.

Notes

If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before incorporating into the filling mixture.