Leftover pie dough? Make something quick, simple and pretty!

I made these cute little tarts in flat 15 minutes. Their size made them bake faster and I had some leftover pie dough handy. Tarts are, more often than not, easy to make and one-pot wonders. Not to mention, they’re real crowd pleasers. I never met a tart I didn’t like.

The cranberries brighten up with a touch of orange juice and zest. It helps to break down their acids. Added sugar balances the sweet and sour taste making it a wonderful dessert yet not too rich a dessert. Don’t skimp on the sugar, because you might end up with a punchy sour tart.

You can make use of cookie cutters and make different ornamental cutouts to decorate the tarts. No matter what the pattern or design, these tarts are sure to be a hit. Try it and leave comments on how it turned. Tag me on Facebook/Instagram.

Cranberry Tarts

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Prep time: 5 mins        |    Cooking time: 35 mins        |    Serves : 2
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Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature.
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For the easy pie dough, assembly and baking follow this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 9-inch pie crust
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, washed and drained
• 1/8 cup water
• Juice of half orange, about 1-2 tbsp
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tbsp butter

Method:

1. Make the pie crust using this recipe or use a store-bought pie crust. Take rolled out pie dough and lay it on the tart pans. Tart pans/molds should have a detachable bottom. Press it in to fix it in place and trim the edges. Refrigerate while the filling is prepared. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Combine cranberries, orange juice, zest and water  in a saucepan and cook for about 15 mins until all the cranberries have popped and turned mushy. Add sugar, flour and stir to combine. Cook until its thick. Add the butter and stir again. Turn off the stove.
3. Spread the filling over the crust in tart pans.
4. Brush the crust with egg wash or milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins. I suggest checking after 20 mins to avoid a dark crust because oven temperatures vary at times. Let it stand for an hour before sneaking a taste.

Note: Recipe adapted from Laura in the Kitchen.