
There’s a special place in our hearts for recipes that have withstood the test of time. This tart is among the best of them, having remained virtually unchanged since I discovered it in the 1980s. In fact, the only thing I do differently now is sprinkle a little coarse salt on top for even more sweet-salty bliss. The filling couldn’t be improved if I tried.
Cook to Cook: Make the pastry one day in advance.
Wine: The richness of the caramel and the meatiness of the nuts makes an aged tawny port sing with this tart. If you can spring for it, a 20-year-old tawny from Portugal would be the best choice. That said, most Portuguese 10-year-old tawnies are terrific as well.
Ingredients
Filling:
Instructions
2. Butter an 11-inch-diameter false-bottom tart pan. Let the dough soften slightly, then pat the crust into the pan with your hands until it is to a relatively even thickness of 1/8 inch. Trim the edges even with the pan’s rim. Refrigerate the pastry for 30 minutes to overnight.
3. Prebake the tart shell: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the tart shell with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the tart shell is golden brown. Cool completely on a rack.
4. Make the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Place the tart shell on a heavy, large baking sheet. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, and granulated sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring until the sugars dissolve. Increase the heat and whisk until mixture comes to a boil.
5. Continue boiling until large bubbles form, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cashews, macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios, pine nuts, and cream. Immediately pour the filling into the tart shell. Bake about 20 minutes, or until the filling bubbles (the filling might overflow slightly onto baking sheet).
6. Cool the tart in pan on a rack until the filling just begins to set. Gently remove the pan bottom and cool the tart completely, 4 to 5 hours. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Cut into wedges and serve.
Copyright 2011 by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. From A Spice Scented Thanksgiving Menu.

Andrea Reusing is the creator of the restaurant Lantern in Chapel Hill, N.C., and author of the book Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes. In this installment of The Key 3, she shares with Lynne Rossetto Kasper the techniques behind three of her favorite recipes: Turnip Soup, Overnight Braised Short Ribs and Tomato Salad.