My Thirty Year Old Treasure

High holiday season brings out the fresh cranberries. Every Thanksgiving I make Cranberry Pudding. It’s a classic that also lifts my Sweet Potato Pie, and now it tops my new creation Cranberry Cheese Tart

Let’s start with the Cranberry Pudding. Note: this has a pudding-like consistency rather than a jelly-like purée. It makes a perfect spreadable topping for pies and tarts.

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CRANBERRY PUDDING: Note whole cranberries freeze very well.

To gild the lily I sometimes soak the raisins in a sweet wine like Japanese plum wine or a fortified wine like Marsala or Madeira. Soak for 15 minutes then strain off wine.

• fresh cranberries – 2 cups 
• apple juice – 3-1/2 cups 
• raisins – 1 cup
• vanilla – 1 tsp
• almond extract – 1/2 tsp [optional]
• whiskey – 1 TBS [optional]
• salt – 1/4 tsp 
  • cornstarch – 3 TBS
  • water – 2 TBS 
• maple syrup – 1 – 4 TBS, [optional], if needed to balance

1. Simmer the raisins in juice for 10 minutes [if using whiskey include at this step]
2. Add cranberries and salt then simmer for 10 more minutes
3. Taste and adjust for sweetness if needed
4. While still simmering dissolve cornstarch in water and add to the pot while stirring briskly until thickened; remove from heat
5. Stir in the vanilla
6. Allow to cool to room temperature and refrigerate

This past Thanksgiving I tweaked the recipe and it came out as “most favored” at a brunch. Here is the tweak:

• I soaked the raisins in Japanese plum wine [find at Asian stores] for 10 minutes before simmering in apple juice
• Added the whiskey at Step 1
• Added the vanilla, the almond extract, and 1/4 maple syrup at Step 5

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CRANBERRY CHEESE TART

I’m submitting this recipe for my Fruit Club “Delicious Dessert” Bake off. Fingers crossed!

I made this low fat: it only uses 2 TBS of lipids instead of the 8 to 10 in traditional crusts.

Offset spatula works well to spread each layer of the tart

NUT CRUST – Choose walnuts, almonds, or pecans [toast for extra flavor: 300º for 7-8 minutes] Then assemble crust ingredients

Use a 9 inch tart pan, 9″ pie plate, or spring form pan, or 8 x 8 pan

• rolled oats – 1 cup
• nuts – 1 cup
• salt – 1/8 tsp
• water – 2 TBS
• neutral oil – 2 TBS
• maple syrup – 2 TBS

1. Place rolled oats, nuts and salt in a food processor and create a fine crumb
2. Preheat the oven to 375º
3. Add the water, oil, and maple syrup then pulse to create a wet dough
4. Pour dough into a tart pan and spread evenly
5. Bake for 9 minutes—no need to cool, the cream cheese filling will then be baked [Step 4 below]

CREAM CHEESE FILLING – Bring cream cheese to room temperature [or microwave until at room temperature]

• cream cheese – 8 oz block at room temperature
• maple syrup – 3 TBS
• salt – 1/8 tsp
• whiskey – 2 TBS, [or rum, or bourbon]
• vanilla – 1 tsp
• egg – 1

1. Preheat oven to 325º
2. Combine the cream cheese filling and mix well; you may need a hand mixer to cream thoroughly
3. Spoon and spread evenly onto the crust
4. Bake for 10 minutes
5. Bring to room temperature
6. Use a spatula and spread the cranberry pudding about a 1/4 inch thick
7. Chill thoroughly and serve with Greek yogurt or whipped cream

© 2025 by B. Hettig