Christmas tart with mixed nuts, a rich and fragrant dessert, perfect for the holidays! Shaped like a Christmas tree, perfectly formed using a dedicated mold. The shell is made with an almond shortcrust that is crumbly and aromatic. Inside the tart a thin layer of jam acts as a glue between the crust and the nut filling. The latter is a soft mixture prepared with a blend of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, flavored with one of the typical Christmas spices, cinnamon. After baking, the tart is coated with a light layer of pomegranate jam (or another preferred jam, ideally red, such as cherry or mixed berries). Be creative with the decoration and enjoy the festive season! Below, let’s see together what you need to make our tree-shaped mixed nut tart:
More holiday desserts recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 9
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 1/2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- baking powder (a scant tip of a teaspoon)
- vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups mixed ground nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- a pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
- A few drops almond extract
- 1/2 packet baking powder
- 1/4 cup pomegranate jam (or your preferred jam)
- to taste chopped almonds (or hazelnuts)
- to taste pomegranate seeds
Steps
Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry. In a bowl sift the all-purpose flour together with the almond flour. Add the cold butter cut into pieces and work everything until you obtain a sandy mixture.
Add the powdered sugar, one large egg and one yolk, the salt, the vanilla extract and the baking powder.
Knead quickly until you obtain a smooth dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. If you don’t have mixed nut flour, finely chop 50 g of almonds + 50 g of hazelnuts + 20 g of walnuts.
In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until you obtain a light and foamy mixture. Add the oil in a thin stream, the chopped nuts, a pinch of cinnamon and a few drops of almond extract.
Sift the all-purpose flour together with the baking powder and add them to the mixture, mixing well to combine the ingredients.
Assemble the tart. Take the shortcrust pastry out of the fridge and roll it out with a rolling pin on a work surface until you reach a thickness of about 1/4 inch.
Line the base and sides of a tree-shaped mold with the rolled pastry and prick the bottom with the tines of a fork. Spread the pomegranate jam (or your preferred jam) on the bottom of the tart.
Also pour in the prepared nut filling and level the surface with a spatula. Bake the pastry at 356°F and let it cook for about 30-35 minutes, or until golden.
After baking, when still warm, brush it with a light coat of jam. Then, if you like, decorate the surface with pomegranate seeds and chopped almonds (or hazelnuts).
Alternatively, for decoration you can use shards of white and dark (or milk) chocolate. Let the Christmas mixed nut tart cool completely before serving.
Bon appétit and.. Happy Holidays!
If you try this recipe, be sure to tag #ipasticcinidinina on Instagram so I can see it and share it with the community.
