Dried-Fruit Star-Lattice Tart
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- Pate Brisee (page 322; omit sugar)
- 4 cups water
- 3/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and scraped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 (1-inch) strips orange zest
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 1/2 cups dried apricots (11 ounces), preferably California
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 large egg yolk, for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for egg wash
- Creme fraiche, for serving
- On a lightly floured surface, roll disks of dough to 14-inch rounds.
- Place 1 round on a parchment-lined baking sheet; refrigerate or freeze until firm, 30 minutes.
- Fit other round into an 11-inch fluted tart pan.
- Trim dough flush with rim.
- Refrigerate or freeze until firm, 30 minutes.
- Make the lattice: Using a ruler, cut chilled round into sixteen 1/2-inch-wide strips with a sharp knife or pastry wheel.
- Lay 6 strips on another parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet in parallel lines slightly longer than diameter of tart pan.
- Lay 6 more strips on top, almost perpendicular to first strips.
- Starting in center, weave 1 new strip diagonally through existing grid, under bottom layer of strips and over top layer.
- Push diagonal strip into corner of each square (where strips meet) to create a tight fit.
- Weave a second strip 1 inch away, this time over, then under.
- Repeat weaving strips across half the tart.
- (If dough strips become too soft, freeze until firm.)
- Return to center, and repeat with remaining strips to form a 6-point star pattern.
- Freeze until ready to use.
- Bring the water, Cognac, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, cinnamon, zest, and cloves to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Add apricots, prunes, and cranberries; reduce heat, and simmer gently until fruit softens but has not broken down, about 20 minutes.
- Strain through a sieve into a measuring cup; reserve fruit and liquid separately.
- Let both cool.
- Discard vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, orange zest, and cloves.
- (If you have more than 2 cups liquid, simmer in a small saucepan until reduced; its fine if you have slightly less than 2 cups.)
- Spread cooled fruit mixture evenly in tart shell, and brush with 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid.
- Combine egg yolk and cream; brush along top edge of tart.
- Carefully slide frozen lattice on top of tart, centering over filling, and press edges to seal.
- Trim excess dough.
- Brush top of lattice with egg wash. Refrigerate, uncovered, until firm, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Transfer tart to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 375F, and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 40 minutes more.
- (If crust browns too quickly, tent with foil.)
- Brush tart with 1/2 cup more cooking liquid.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
- Unmold; serve with creme fraiche.
flour, brisee, water, cognac, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, orange zest, cloves, california, prunes, cranberries, egg yolk, heavy cream, creme fraiche
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/dried-fruit-star-lattice-tart-389754 (may not work)