Maple Sugar Tart Recipe

Maple Sugar Tart Recipe

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
  • 2 cups granulated maple sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (2 1/2 oz), chopped
  • 2 large eggs
  • Accompaniment: crème fraîche
  • Special equipment: a 9- by 1-inch fluted round tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice
  1. Whisk together flour and salt. Blend in butter and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated. Gently squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) after each addition until incorporated and continuing to test. (Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.)
  2. Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough and form it, rotating on work surface, into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  4. Roll out dough into a 12-inch round and fit into tart pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to form a stronger edge. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Line bottom and side of pastry with foil and fill with pie weights.
  5. Bake in middle of oven 20 minutes, then carefully remove foil and weights and bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove shell from oven but leave oven on.
  6. Slowly bring sugar and cream to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, then boil until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add nuts, then cool slightly.
  7. Whisk eggs in a bowl, then gradually whisk in nut mixture.
  8. Pour filling into warm baked pastry shell, then bake tart in middle of oven until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes.
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