- 12
- 35 mins
Ingredients
- For Filling:
- 1 1/2 C. sugar
- 2 T. honey
- 3/4 C. plus 2 T. heavy cream, warmed
- 3 C. walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
- For Italian Short Pastry:
- 1 1/4 C. confectioners' sugar
- 3 C. bleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 C. unsalted butter, cut into T. sized pieces, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten together
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 lemons or 1 orange, rind grated
Preparation
Step 1
For Italian Short Pastry:
1. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in ingredients on low speed.
2. Beat the eggs together in small bowl or cup with the vanilla. Set aside.
3. Add the butter to the mixture and, on low speed, blend butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse meal. Add the eggs; mix again until the dough forms a ball.
4. Scrape the dough out of the bowl. Knead a few times to make sure it is well-blended. It will be slightly sticky, but should not require a floured surface to knead it just a few times. Divide the dough into two disks, on that is 1/3 of the dough and the other 2/3s. Wrap each disk in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Roll out between sheets of waxed paper or parchment. Press the larger disk of dough inot a 9" tart pan. Roll the smaller disk until it's about 1/4" thick and cut into decorative strips or use cookie cutters to make small pastry-crust decorations for the tart top.
For the filling:
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the sugar and 6 T. water in a 3 qt. saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the mixture turns medium amber, about 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally but not stirring. be careful not to burn.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the honey. Carefully pour the warm cream, 1/4 C. at a time into the simmering caramel, stirring constantly. Stir in the walnuts. While still hot, pour the mixture into the pastry. Add pastry strips or decorations to top. Brust with beaten egg.
4. Bake 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly.