Holiday Desserts

Cranberry Meringue Tart

MAKES 1 (9-INCH) TART

We piped the meringue and then smoothed the inner edge with an offset spatula for an elegant look.

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1¾ cups sugar, divided
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
Tart Shell (recipe follows)
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
Garnish: fresh cranberries, candied ginger

1. In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, 1¼ cups sugar, lemon juice, ginger, and salt to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries have softened and released their juices, about 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing solids; discard solids. Add butter to cranberry mixture, whisking until combined. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolks, immediately whisking until well combined.

2. Return cranberry mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. (Whisk should leave a faint trace when dragged through mixture).

Pour cranberry mixture into Tart Shell, smoothing top if necessary. Let cool completely on