LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2021

4 In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating to incorporate before adding the next. Add zest, milk and reserved flour mixture. Stir until just combined. 5 Scrape into prepared pan, level batter and arrange on a baking sheet (this will aid in pre- venting the bottom and sides of the cake from becoming too dark). Bake on centre rack for 50 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove to a rack and let cool to room temperature. If making ahead, leave in pan and cover with plastic wrap once cooled. Store at room temperature for up to 1 day. 6 For the curd, combine cranberries, pome- granate juice and sugar in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Tip out into a blender and purée. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Add butter and whisk to combine. 7 In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and egg yolks. Add about half the cranberry mix- ture, whisking constantly. Whisk in remaining cranberry mixture and return to pot. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface; let cool. If making ahead, refrigerate for up to 2 days. 8 A few hours before you plan to serve it, remove cake from pan and discard parchment. Level top of cake with a serrated knife. Using a small plate as a guide, cut a 3/4 inch (2 cm) deep circle into top of cake, leaving 3/4 to 1-inch (2 to 2.5 cm) border around edge. Cut a cross-hatch pattern within the circle, again about 3/4 inch (2 cm) deep. Remove cubes of cake within circle. Brush hollow with 3 tbsp (45 mL) Grand Marnier. Fill with curd and level; cover top with plastic wrap. Let stand for 1 to 3 hours to allow liqueur to soak in. 9 When ready to serve, whip cream and icing sugar to medium peaks. Add remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) Grand Marnier; combine. Top cake with cream and sprinkle with pomegranate arils. Serve straight away.

one slightly larger than the other. Flatten both into disks and wrap individually with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. 2 Meanwhile, make filling by adding almonds, pistachios, sugar and salt to a food processor. Grind until nuts are finely chopped and have begun to clump together. Add butter and pulse to combine. Scrape into a bowl and stir in almond extract and egg yolks. 3 Roll larger piece of dough into a 17 x 7-inch (43 x 18 cm) rectangle on a lightly floured sur- face. Roll up around rolling pin and carefully transfer to a 4 x 14-inch (10 x 35 cm) tart tin with removable bottom. Lightly press into bottom and corners; trim dough, leaving a 1/2 inch (1 cm) overhang all around. Press lightly against sides. 4 Fill with roughly half of the nut mixture; evenly distribute cherries overtop. Cover cherries with remaining nut mixture; level filling throughout. Flip overhang over filling. Combine egg and water; brush pastry over- hang with egg mixture (this will give your top piece of dough something to adhere to). 5 Roll smaller piece of dough into a 15 x 5-inch (38 x 12 cm) rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Position over tin, ensuring no filling is exposed. Press down to seal around edges; run rolling pin over tin to trim excess dough. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. 6 Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). 7 Using a 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch (3 to 4 cm) cookie cutter in desired shape, cut out 3 holes in top of tart. Discard dough or carefully remove each in 1 piece and reattach decoratively over dough. Brush top of tart lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with decorative sugar. 8 Place on centre rack in oven and imme­ diately reduce heat to 350°F (177°C). 9 Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove tin to a rack and let cool to room temperature. Tart may be made up to 4 days in advance and kept at room tempera- ture. Cut crosswise into equal pieces to serve.

MARASCHINO & NUT TART If you make just one dessert this holiday season, this should be it. It’s got it all: good looks, nuts, preserved fruit and a fudgy candy-bar-like filling. Luxardo makes the best maraschino cherries, but both Toschi and Fabbri amarena cherries, different but equally good, can be used in their place. If they’re all unavailable where you are, Cocktail Emporium (cocktailemporium.com) in Toronto ships worldwide. Whatever you do, don’t use neon red or glacé cherries—they’re no relation. PASTRY 1/4 cup (60 mL) almond flour 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 3/4 cup (175 mL or 1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten 1 tbsp (15 mL) water FILLING 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) slivered almonds 3/4 cup (175 mL) shelled raw pistachios 3/4 cup (175 mL) sugar Pinch salt 6 tbsp (90 mL) butter, softened 1 tsp (5 mL) almond extract 4 egg yolks 1/2 cup (125 mL) drained Luxardo maraschino cherries 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tbsp (15 mL) water 3 tbsp (45 mL) coarse decorative (sanding) sugar 1 For the pastry, combine almond flour, flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and process until mixture resembles sand. Combine egg yolks and water; add through feed tube with motor running and process until mixture begins to clump. Turn out onto counter, gather together and knead once or twice just to combine. Separate into 2 pieces,

Serves 6 to 8

Serves 8

WHAT TO SERVE This famous liqueur’s velvety sweet almond and marzipan tones complement the flavours of this tart perfectly. It’s the ideal conclusion to your holiday feast! Disaronno Originale Amaretto LCBO 2253, $30.95

WHAT TO SERVE Pama is made with real pomegranate juice, which mirrors the flavours of the cake. This luscious and tart liqueur provides a refreshing contrast to such a decadent dessert. Pama Pomegranate Liquor LCBO 414, $29.20

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FOOD & DRINK HOLIDAY 2021