Walnut tart

 

                   For a even more extravagant dessert, brush 2 squares (1 ounce each) melted semisweet chocolate over the bottom of the partially baked tart shell.

Makes 10 servings

Pastry

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pats
• ¼ cup chilled solid vegetable shortening
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Walnut filling

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups walnut pieces
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Prepare pastry

1. Combine flour and salt in medium-size bowl ; cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
2. Sprinkle cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over mixture, tossing lightly with fork after each addition, until pastry is just moist enough to hold together.
3. Shape pastry into disk ; wrap in platic wrap and chill 1 hour until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 400F.
5. Roll pastry out on lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin into 11-inch circle ; fit into 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
6. Fold overhang over and press to reinforce side of tart ; line pastry with aluminium foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
7. Bake tart shell in preheated oven for 15 minutes ; remove foil and weights.
8. Bake 5 to 10 minutes to brown ; do not turn off oven.

Prepare filling

1. Combine cream and sugar in medium-size, heavy saucepan ; simmer, stirring, for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
2. Raise heat slightly during last minutes ; do not let mixture boil over.
3. Lightly beat eggs in small bowl ; stir in small amount of hot cream mixture.
4. Pour egg mixture into cream mixture in saucepan, stirring constantly to prevent lumping ; stir in walnuts and vanilla and pour into tart shell.
5. Return to oven and bake at 400F for 20 minutes until custard is nearly set and top is browned.
6. Let cool on rack 15 minutes ; remove side pan ; serve warm or at room temperature.

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