Chestnut Tart

Photo: flickr user sleepyneko

Ingredients

cup Golden raisins

3 tablespoons Rum

cup All-purpose flour

cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

12 tablespoons Cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 lrg Egg

1 lrg Egg yolk

1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract

8 ounces Chestnuts, boiled and peeled

3 tablespoons Sugar

1 teaspoon Pure vanilla

1 cup Heavy cream

2 lrgs Eggs

Confectioners' sugar

Preparation

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum. Let stand for 1 hour or overnight.

To make the crust, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.

With a pastry blender or 2 knives, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and toss with a fork until the liquid is incorporated. If the mixture seems dry, add a few drops of cold water as needed.

Gather the dough together and shape it into 2 disks, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough to a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Fit the dough into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim off all but a 1/2-inch border of dough. Fold the excess dough in against the inside of the pan and press it into place. Chill the tart shell for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the oven rack on the lowest setting.

To make the filling, in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or a blender, combine the

Chestnuts, sugar, and vanilla. With the machine running, gradually add the cream. Process until smooth, stopping the machine once or twice to scrape down the sides of the container. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one until smooth. Remove the processor bowl from the base of the machine. Lightly stir in the raisins and rum. Pour the mixture into the crust and smooth the surface.

Roll out the remaining dough to an 11-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick and, with a fluted pastry wheel, cut it into 1/2-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips over the filling about 1-inch apart, going first from top to bottom, then from left to right, to form a lattice pattern. Press the ends of the strips against the sides of the tart shell to seal. Bake the tart for 60 minutes, or until the filling is puffed and the crust is golden. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the pan rim by placing the tart on a coffee can or similar tall object and sliding the rim down. Cool completely on a rack.

Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Yield: 8 servings