Bon Appetit Desserts (82 page)

2 tablespoons (or more) chilled heavy whipping cream

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup whole almonds, toasted, cooled

¾ cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, cooled

¾ cup walnuts, toasted, cooled

¾ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter, melted, cooled

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

CRUST
: Blend flour and sugar in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons cream and vanilla extract. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; break into small pieces and scatter over bottom of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of pan.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before filling.

FILLING
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts in processor; using on/off turns, coarsely chop nuts. Whisk corn syrup, brown sugar, and melted butter in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs and vanilla and almond extracts. Mix in chocolate chips, then nuts. Transfer filling to prepared crust.

Bake tart until filling is firmly set in center and top is deep golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 30 minutes. Remove pan sides from tart. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mixed Nut Tart

Walnuts, pecans, cashews, and almonds combine in this orange-scented, caramel-colored tart. If you prefer, use any combination of two or more kinds of nuts in the filling. Just be sure to use 2⅔ cups nuts in total. This tart travels well, as the filling is firm after baking. Adding vegetable shortening and apple cider vinegar helps ensure that the crust will be tender and flaky.
12 servings

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces

¼ cup (½ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

3 tablespoons (or more) ice water

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

⅔ cup sugar

⅓ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

⅓ cup honey

1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

⅔ cup chopped walnuts

⅔ cup pecan halves

⅔ cup roasted unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped

⅔ cup sliced almonds

Whipped cream

Orange-Cranberry Compote (optional; see recipe)

CRUST
: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add shortening and butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl; pour over flour mixture. Using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.

Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim dough overhang and reserve. Freeze crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake crust until golden, about 17 minutes, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F

FILLING
: Meanwhile, mix cream, both sugars, and honey in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture bubbles thickly and darkens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in orange peel. Let stand 20 minutes to cool slightly. Stir in walnuts, pecans, cashews, and almonds.

Spoon filling into crust, distributing nuts evenly. Bake tart until filling is bubbling thickly and deep amber in color, about 22 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Serve with whipped cream and Orange-Cranberry Compote, if desired.

Orange-Cranberry Compote

Almond syrup, used to flavor coffee, desserts, and cocktails, is usually found in the coffee section of most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores. You can also use
sirop d’amandes
(also called orgeat syrup), which is almond syrup with orange-flower water. If you prefer compote with a kick, use amaretto liqueur instead.
Makes about 1¼ cups

6 oranges

1 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons almond syrup or amaretto

Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Add cranberries and almond syrup to bowl. Toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

Chocolate-Pecan Tart

This delicious take on the classic southern dessert features an exceptionally easy crust—it’s simply stirred together, pressed into a tart pan, and baked. The bourbon adds a spirited flavor, but if you prefer something nonalcoholic, substitute two teaspoons of vanilla for the bourbon in both the filling and the whipped cream.
10 servings

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, melted

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups pecan halves and pieces, toasted

3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks (about ½ cup)

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon

1½ tablespoons sugar

CRUST
: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Whisk flour, brown sugar, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and stir with fork until moist clumps form. Break into small pieces and scatter over bottom of prepared pan. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of pan. Bake crust until just golden brown, about 15 minutes.

FILLING
: Meanwhile, beat brown sugar, eggs, bourbon, butter, and salt in large bowl until well blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate.

Pour filling into crust. Bake tart until just set, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tart loosely and keep at cool room temperature.

BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM
: Using electric mixer, beat cream, bourbon, and sugar in large bowl until soft peaks form.

Cut tart into wedges and serve with bourbon whipped cream.

Mexican Chocolate Tart with Cinnamon-Spiced Pecans

Cinnamon gives Mexican chocolate its unique flavor, and combines with the sugar and cayenne pepper in the sweet-spicy pecans. Mexican chocolate, available at some supermarkets, at Latin markets, and online at
amazon.com
, has a granular texture; when making the filling, be sure to whisk the chocolate until the sugar dissolves and the chocolate is smooth.
8 to 10 servings

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 large egg white

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1½ cups pecan halves

1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about half of one 9-ounce package cookies, finely ground in processor)

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 3.1-ounce disk Mexican chocolate (such as Ibarra), chopped

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

PECANS
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk egg white, both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl. Stir in pecans. Spread nuts in single layer on sheet, rounded side up. Bake until just browned and dry, about 30 minutes. Cool on sheet. Separate nuts, removing excess coating.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

CRUST
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend cookie crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom to within ⅛ inch of top. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.