As promised, the recipe for the second pie I made for our Thanksgiving meal. Sorry no real note to go with. I promise fun stuff later this week including an update on my new space.

(Martha Stewart’s) Cranberry, Almond, and Cinnamon Tart
Serves 8

1 1/2 cups (5 1/4 ounces) fresh cranberries
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 Tbsp water
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Pate Sucree (see recipe below)
8 ounces cranberry jam or preserves
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) whole almonds, finely ground in a food processor
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Put fresh cranberries, 1/3 cup sugar and the water into a saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring to dissolve sugar, until cranberries have just softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool completely.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch circle, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to an 8-by-2-inch spring-form pan, pressing crust into bottom and up sides. Trim excess flush with rim. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Prick tart crust all over with a fork. cut a 12-inch round of parchment, and place on top of chilled crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans (personally I find this part unnecessary). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, and brush crust lightly with egg white. Return to oven, and bake until pale golden, about 25 minutes. Refrigerate remaining egg white. Let crust cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Raise oven temperature on 375. Spread jam over bottom of tart crust.

Beat butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. reduce speed to medium. Slowly add ground almonds, cinnamon, and salt, and beat until just combined. Spread mixture over jam-covered crust.

Bake tart until filling is set and has darkened slightly, 45 to 50 minutes. (If top darkens too quickly, cover loosely with foil.) Remove tart from oven, brush top with egg white, and sprinkle with sugar. Return to oven, and bake for 5 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and top with candied cranberries. Serve warm.

Pate Sucree (makes enough for 12 mini pies or 6 tartlets)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp ice water

Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolk; pulse. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube; process until dough just holds together (no longer than 30 seconds). Turn out onto a work surface, and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days), or freeze up to 1 month.

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend.  Starting later this week I will begin posting gift wish lists from foodies, furniture designers, a schooner captain, an artist, furniture designer, and other fun and amazingly talented friends and people I admire.

Following is a recipe for one of the two pies (second recipe following asap) I made this past Thanksgiving. I had such a wonderful time enjoying a day of delicious food and great conversation with friends, one of whom brought a bottle of delicious homemade wine for the feast. I was not so clever, but I did bring a six-pack of yummy (and locally brewed) Peak Organic’s Pomegranate Wheat Ale with Acai. This Portland, Maine brewed ale is a favorite that will be finding its way into my fridge.

Being with people I care about and who care about me made me feel more grateful than ever. That we had an abundance of food and a warm home also had me thinking about how much I have to be thankful for. I want you to know how much I appreciate you, every one of you for allowing me to share part of your day with you via this blog. Thank you!!!!!!

This recipe is easy to make and tastes so good.  Enjoy it with people you care about, a cup of warmth, and if possible by a fire.  It tastes a bit like baklava.

(Martha Stewart’s) Honey-Walnut Pie
Serves 8 to 10

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
Pate Brisee Walnut Variation (see recipe below)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 lightly beaten egg for brushing
3/4 cup mild honey
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
Fine sanding sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Place a 9 1/2-by-1 3/8-inch tart ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick; cut into a 14-inch round. Fit into tart ring; trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Refrigerate while making filling.

Whisk together 4 eggs, the honey, granulated sugar, butter, orange zest and juice, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts. Pour into tart shell.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into an 11-inch round. Cut 5 slits for vents. Drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch; fold over bottom crust. Press edges to seal, and tuck into ring. Brush with remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Bake until a knife inserted in one of the vents comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely. Remove ring before serving. Can be stored, covered, overnight.

Pate Brisee Walnut Variation (makes enough for one 9- or 10- inch double-crust pie)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup ground walnuts
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup plus 1 to 2 Tbsp ice water

Pulse flour, walnuts, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube until dough just comes together(no longer than 30 seconds).

Turn out onto a work surface. Divide in half. Shape into disks. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).