This tart, filled with homemade caramel, fresh cranberries, and whole hazelnuts, is one of my favorites. Its combination of sweet, salty, and tart flavors makes it an unforgettable dessert for fall and winter gatherings.
When I launched this blog over eight years ago, I was inspired by Deb from Smitten Kitchen. I tried many of her recipes and adapted a few for my own site. One of those early inspirations was her cranberry, caramel, and almond tart. I made it for Thanksgiving in 2009 and loved it so much I blogged about it — then shelved it for a while. Now I’ve revisited and updated the recipe, making a few changes to give it new depth and a personal twist.
For this version I replaced sliced almonds with whole hazelnuts, added more hazelnuts into the crust, and deepened the caramel filling’s flavor. The result is a stunning tart with a nutty shortcrust, a silky caramel center, bursts of bright cranberry, and toasted hazelnuts for texture.
The tart begins with a sweet shortcrust (pâte sucrée) enriched with hazelnut meal for a fragrant, tender base. The filling is a homemade caramel sauce made from sugar, butter, and cream, flavored with vanilla and a pinch of salt. Fresh cranberries and whole hazelnuts are folded into the caramel and baked briefly until the caramel bubbles and the cranberries soften slightly. When cooled, the caramel firms and holds the berries and nuts in a glossy, flavorful filling.
This dessert is a lovely nontraditional option for holiday menus or cozy dinners. Serve it chilled or at room temperature, and optionally pair it with a dollop of whipped cream.
Have you tried this tart? I’d love to hear about your experience. Leave a comment, send an email, or share a photo on Instagram by tagging @completelydelicious and using #completelydelicious. Note: a version of this recipe first appeared on the site in 2009; it has since been updated and the photos refreshed.
Cranberry, Caramel and Hazelnut Tart
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Ingredients
Crust:
- ½ cup chopped hazelnuts , see Notes (90 grams)
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (150 grams)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (57 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , cold and cut into cubes (113 grams)
- 2 large egg yolks , lightly beaten
Filling:
- 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (310 ml)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup fresh cranberries (175 grams)
- 2 cups whole hazelnuts , skins removed (285 grams)
Instructions
To make the crust:
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Pulse the chopped hazelnuts in a food processor until they form a coarse meal. Add flour, powdered sugar, and salt and pulse to combine. Add cubed, cold butter and pulse until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Pour the egg yolks over the mixture and pulse until the dough just comes together, about 10 seconds.
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Form the dough into a disk, wrap it, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or up to 5 days). The dough can also be double-wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thick and into a rough 12-inch circle. Fit it into a greased 11-inch tart pan and freeze for 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the chilled crust with greased foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place on a sheet pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until the crust is set and the edges begin to brown.
To prepare the filling:
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Warm the cream and butter together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter melts, then remove from heat and set aside.
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In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add the granulated sugar. Allow the edges to melt and the sugar to turn golden without stirring. Swirl the pan as needed for even browning. This should take about 5–7 minutes—watch carefully to avoid burning.
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When the sugar is fully caramelized, remove from heat and whisk in the warm cream-and-butter mixture a little at a time. Return to medium heat and stir until any hardened bits dissolve and the caramel is smooth.
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Stir in the salt and vanilla, then fold in the cranberries and whole hazelnuts. Pour the mixture into the parbaked tart crust (on the sheet pan) and bake until the caramel is bubbling at the edges, about 20–25 minutes.
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Cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Serve immediately or chill and serve later. The tart will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
NOTES:
- You can swap the hazelnuts for another favorite nut in both crust and filling.
- Chopped hazelnuts work well in the crust and are often less expensive than whole hazelnuts; you can also substitute 1/3 cup (40 grams) hazelnut flour or meal.
- If you only have a 9-inch tart pan, reduce the cranberries to about 1 heaping cup (100 grams) and the whole hazelnuts to 1 1/2 cups (215 grams). You may have leftover dough and filling.