This German Cranberry Orange Cream Tart is an amazing and festive dessert to add to your holiday menu.
Its fruity flavor is sweet, tangy, and bright, hugged by a delicious, rich crust. If you’re looking to switch things up from your regular cookies or pumpkin pie, then this tart is definitely for you.
Desserts just taste better around the holidays. That’s a fact. The holidays also mean that you can have dessert for breakfast.
๐ Why it Works
I mean, you can’t let all of those sweets go bad! And if gingerbread or sugar cookies in the morning aren’t your thing, well, I find that a little hard to believe, but this cranberry orange tart is a great option for you!
Seriously, who doesn’t love dessert at any hour of the day, especially if it's as creamy as this German version?
I'm missing Germany during the holidays, and I comfort myself with German desserts galore.
I’m all for pumpkin, spiced apple, gingerbread, and other traditional holiday flavors, but let’s not forget about cranberries.
I understand that cranberries are an acquired taste, as with many tart fruits, but I think that they deserve their time to shine.
Luckily, we use dried cranberries for this tart, which are more so sweet than tart, and give the filling a little bit of texture.
The dried cranberries are almost necessary for a filling that is mostly mascarpone and crème fraîche!
There’s a beautiful mix of texture and flavors in each bite; plus, the caramel pieces make them eye-catching. Who wouldn’t want to grab one?
Oh, and don’t forget to save one for breakfast in the morning! ๐
๐ช Instructions
For the Tart
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the egg and knead into a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and cool for about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- With an electric mixer, beat the eggs with mascarpone cheese and crème fraîche or sour cream until smooth. Stir in the sugar and pudding mix. Fold in the cranberries.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll into a rectangle slightly larger than your 11-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Fit the dough into your tart pan coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under or flute decoratively.
- Pour the filling mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Bake the tart for 45-50 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar and decorate with caramel garnishes right before serving. Otherwise, they'll become too soft.
For the Caramel Garnish
- Melt the sugar in a small saucepan and caramelize until golden brown. The caramel should be the consistency of thick syrup and run off the spoon in a long strand rather than in short drips—if it gets drippy, rewarm it over low heat.
- To make the caramel bowl, oil the back of a ladle well. Distribute the caramel with a spoon on the back of a ladle in a grid shape, let it harden, and peel it off carefully.
- Working quickly, scoop up some caramel with a teaspoon and drizzle it onto the wax paper in whatever shape you like - Christmas trees, stars, spirals, or hearts. Let cool completely and carefully peel it off with a spatula.
- Store the garnishes in an airtight container in a dry place at room temperature for up to two days.
- Caramel is so sticky but fun to play with. You can pull it into hair-thin strings or "draw" with a spoon.
- The easiest way to clean a caramel-coated pan is to pour boiling water into it and wait until the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour out the water, let the pan cool, and wash with soap and water. Repeat if necessary until all the caramel is gone.
- When making caramel garnishes, make sure you use wax paper or foil, or parchment paper that is heavily greased. I cannot stress that enough. Caramel is one of the most delicious and stickiest things ever to exist. You want it to peel off nicely and not ruin whatever surface you make them on, like your best baking sheet (oops).
โ Frequently Asked Questions
Crème fraîche is a type of thick cream made from heavy cream with buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt. If you're ambitious, you can make your own.
If not, you can easily substitute it with plain sour cream. The result will be slightly sourer than crème fraîche.
Crème fraîche is the more premium of the two (hence its higher price), and it has a more velvety, indulgent texture, thanks to a butterfat content of up to 45%. The sour cream typically contains 20% fat and a richer flavor.
- South African No-Bake Milk Tart
- Pear and Almond French Tart
- Rustic Plum Ricotta Tart
- German Hazelnut Mousse Tart
Liked this recipe? Leave a โญโญโญโญโญ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
German Cranberry Orange Cream Tart with Easy Caramel Garnishes
EQUIPMENT
- 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- A pinch of salt
- ½ cup almond meal or ground almonds
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
For the Cream Filling
- 2 eggs
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix
- ½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- Icing, powdered sugar for sprinkling
For Caramel Garnishes (optional)
- 1 cup sugar
- wax paper
Instructions
For the Tart
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the egg and knead into a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and cool for about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- With an electric mixer, beat the eggs with mascarpone cheese and crème fraîche or sour cream until smooth. Stir in the sugar and pudding mix. Fold in the cranberries.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll into a rectangle slightly larger than your 11-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Fit the dough into your tart pan coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under or flute decoratively.
- Pour the filling mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Bake the tart for 45-50 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar and decorate with caramel garnishes right before serving. Otherwise, they'll become too soft.
For Caramel Garnishes (optional)
- Melt the sugar in a small saucepan and caramelize until golden brown. The caramel should be the consistency of thick syrup and run off the spoon in a long strand rather than in short drips—if it gets drippy, rewarm it over low heat.
- To make the caramel bowl, oil the back of a ladle well. Distribute the caramel with a spoon on the back of a ladle in a grid shape, let it harden, and peel it off carefully.
- Working quickly, scoop up some caramel with a teaspoon and drizzle it onto the wax paper in whatever shape you like - Christmas trees, stars, spirals, or hearts. Let cool completely and carefully peel it off with a spatula.
- Store the garnishes in an airtight container in a dry place at room temperature for up to two days.
Notes
- Caramel is so sticky but fun to play with. You can pull it into hair-thin strings or "draw" with a spoon.
- The easiest way to clean a caramel-coated pan is to pour boiling water into it and wait until the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour out the water, let the pan cool, and wash with soap and water. Repeat if necessary until all the caramel is gone.
- When making caramel garnishes, make sure you use wax paper or foil, or parchment paper that is heavily greased. I cannot stress that enough. Caramel is one of the most delicious and stickiest things ever to exist. You want it to peel off nicely and not ruin whatever surface you make them on, like your best baking sheet (oops).
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used and serving size.
acraftymix says
Why is it that everything you make or bake looks like a work of art Jas. Love the sound of this tart. My Mom is German so we kinda grew up tasting all kinds of โtorteโ and anything with almonds in it always brings back such good memories.
Jas says
She is? How cool! Now I feel even closer to you. Hope someday you and I will be baking something almondy together! โค
Rita C. says
All I can say is Wow! This and your marzipan bundt cake look outstanding and sound delish! Pinned, thank you!
Jas says
Thank you so much, Rita! I truly appreciate your kindness.
applytofaceblog says
What a beautiful and very festive dessert. I just LOVE your caramel shapes too. I would feel very sophisticated to have this on my Xmas table. Pinned! Thank you for sharing with #FiestaFriday
Jas says
It's the little things that make the difference. ๐ Thanks for stopping in!
cookingwithauntjuju.com says
I always enjoy a citrus flavored dessert and then combined with cranberries I’m sure is delicious. Love the star and tree caramel decorations. Thanks for sharing your lovely dessert with Fiesta Friday.
Jas says
Thank you so much! Happy Holidays!
FABBY says
This looks amazing ! I will soon make it and thanks for the recipe.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Fabby
Jas says
Thank you so much, Fabby!
Ron says
What fun working with the caramel must have been. Iโm not a baker, but I always enjoyed your baking post and this one was so festive. My favorite leftover breakfast dessert sneak used to be pecan pie, straight from the fridge.
Jas says
Would you believe if I told you I'm not a baker either? I dislike measuring and it usually takes me extra time to bake as I'm constantly doublechecking if I measured it right and followed all the steps, lol. But I love a good challenge, so I bake. โโ๏ธ
Mmmm, pecan pie for breakfast, yum! I assume that was before your nut-free house? I could never bee able to free my house of nuts. Just ask my husband