Cranberry Crumb Tart

We just threw a surprise Blues Clues party for our kids. We bought them costumes as well as party favors so that they would be really happy. For this special occasion, we planned to make Cranberry Crumb Tart.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) cold butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cups fresh cranberries (about two 12-ounce bags)
Prebaked Tart Shell

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 3/4 cups of the sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Continue cutting until the mixture forms nickel sized clumps that crumble easily.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the salt. Add the cranberries and toss to coat well.

Spon the cranberries into the Prebaked Tart Shell, mounding them slightly in the center. Using your fingers, lightly squeeze pieces of the crumb topping and drop them gently over the berries (do not press the topping into the fruit).

Bake until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edge, about 40 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Prebaked Tart Shell

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 stick (4 ounces) cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ice water

Put the flour in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt in the water. Sprinkle over the flour mixture, tossing until the dough begins to mass together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into a 6 inch disk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large round, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Trim to a 15 inch circle. Dust the dough lightly with the flour and fold into quarters. Place it, with the point in the center, in a 9 1/2 or 10 inch tart pan, about 1 inch high, with a removable bottom. Open up the pastry and fit into the pan, folding down the excess to reinforce the sides. Press the pastry against the fluted sides of the pan; trim off any excess dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Line the pastry with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is almost dry. Remove the foil and weights, prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork, and continue baking for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. It was not much fancy that we did at the party, but we all enjoyed it a lot.