Apple Cranberry Country Tart

Pastry

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons ice water
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Filling

• 3 to 4 large baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon sparkling sugar or 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the almonds are finely ground. Add flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse several times to mix.

Slice butter into eight pieces and add to the flour mixture. Process until the butter is pea-size. Add ice water and almond extract and process until the dough forms a ball. Do not over-process. Remove the pastry, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it at least 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together sliced apples and cranberries. In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the sugar mixture into the apple-cranberry filling, add the lemon juice, and toss well to mix.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a floured pastry cloth, roll the almond pastry into a 14-inch circle. Fold the pastry in half and transfer it to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Fold the edges of the parchment paper up to catch any juices which may overflow during baking.

Pour the apple-cranberry filling into the center of the pastry and dot it with the remaining butter. Fold the edges of the pastry up around the filling, overlapping the edges to form a round tart. The center of the tart will remain open.

In a small bowl, whip egg and water together with a fork. Brush the egg wash over the pastry and sprinkle it with sparkling sugar. Bake the tart in a preheated oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.

Recipe makes 1 tart.