Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup whole almonds, toasted, cooled
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Cranberry Topping:
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups fresh cranberries
Mascarpone filling:
Juice from 1 small lime
1/2 cup powdered sugar
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
12 ounces Miceli's Mascarpone Cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust:
Finely grind flour, sugar, almonds and salt in food processor. Add butter and vanilla; cut in using on/off turns, until mixture form soft moist clumps. make dough into a ball and flatten into a disk shape and place in plastic wrap so no dough is exposed to air. Refrigerate 1 hour. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of an 11 inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using thumb, press dough up sides to extend 1/8 inch above rim of pan. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 º F Bake crust until golden brown, pressing with back of spoon if crust bubbles, about 25 minutes. Transfer to heat rack and cool completely.
Cranberry Topping:
Whisk, 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, honey and cinnamon and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Add cranberries; cook until mixture boils and berries just begin to pop but still maintain shape, occasionally stirring gently, no longer than 5 minutes. Cool completely (mixture will thicken)
Mascarpone mixture:
Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water; whisk in lime juice, powdered sugar, mascarpone and vanilla. Cool completely
Spread Mascarpone mixture into crust; freeze 15 minutes. Spoon cranberries over the mascarpone mixture and spread carefully to cover completely. Cover and chill overnight. May be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
Remove pan sides; transfer tart to platter. Sprinkle white chocolate shavings with leftover chocolate, if desired.
