Every year around this time, I start thinking about edible gifts to make for the holiday season. I remember a few people who would annually gift us an assortment of homemade treats. We would look forward to receiving those gifts every year, and it’s a goal of mine to come up with my own traditional holiday treat box. I’m still a little ways off, but hopefully this year I’ll get a little closer with the help of my friend Fanny Lam’s new cookbook Oh Sweet Day!: A Celebration Cookbook of Edible Gifts, Party Treats, and Festive Desserts!

Fanny and I have been internet foodie friends for a couple years now (she runs a lovely blog and posts delicious treats on her Instagram page); so when I received a copy of her cookbook, I knew it would packed with delightful yet approachable recipes perfect for sharing with loved ones. As Fanny writes in her introduction, “A lovely dessert doesn’t require a demanding recipe. It needs love! It needs personality! I hope this book will inspire you to go beyond your comfort zone, try something new, play with abandon, share with your loved one, make it a tradition, and let it be a memory.”

Trying out Fanny’s famous shortbread cookies and cheesecakes are high on my to-bake list, but the first thing I knew I had to make was this gorgeous cranberry lime shortbread tart — a lovely press-in shortbread crust filled with a velvety, vibrant curd. And let’s not forget that showstopping natural color! This dessert would be perfect for Thanksgiving dinner — it’s tangy, creamy, and bright, the perfect foil for a rich meal. Plus, it can be made ahead of time — always a bonus on busy cooking days!

Update: Winner of the giveaway is Quyen Weng. Congrats!I’m happy to be giving away one copy of Oh Sweet Day!: A Celebration Cookbook of Edible Gifts, Party Treats, and Festive Desserts to one of my readers! To enter, comment below with your favorite edible gift to give or receive. For more entries, you can also follow me on Instagram and enter on the related photo. Deadline to enter is Sunday, October 28, 2018, at 5pm EST. Winner will be announced here and on Instagram. Open to residents of USA and Canada.

A few notes:

• I decorated the cranberry lime shortbread tart with a bit of melted white chocolate (about 25 grams), tinted the faintest of pink with a bit of cranberry powder. I transferred the melted chocolate to a ziplock bag and cut a tiny hole in one of the corners, then quickly piped it on. In her recipe, Fanny suggests topping the tart with whipped cream and lime zest (instructions included below).
• I didn’t have quite enough lime juice, so I used about half lime and half orange juice (both freshly squeezed). The orange juice gave the curd a beautiful deep pink color; if you use all lime juice as the recipe states the color will be just as vibrant and beautiful but probably a little lighter.
• The curd can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated with a piece of plastic pressed against the surface to keep a skin from forming. The tart shell can also be made a couple of days ahead and kept covered at room temperature. Assemble the tart the day you’ll be serving — just make sure to allow a full 4 hours for it to chill so you can get nice clean slices.
• For clean slices, use a sharp knife cleaned with hot water after each cut.

Cranberry Lime Shortbread Tart

Makes one 9-inch tart

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Shortbread Crust

• 113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 40g (1/4 cup) powdered sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 125g (1 cup) AP flour
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

For the Cranberry Lime Curd

• 454g (4 cups) cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tsp. lime zest

• 1/2 cup water
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 28g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

For the Whipped Cream Topping

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh cranberries

• 1 tsp. lime zest

Method:

For the Vanilla Shortbread Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Mix in the vanilla until combined.
4. Sift in the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until just incorporated.
5. Press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of the prepared pan.
6. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
7. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

For the Cranberry Lime Curd:

1. Cook the cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, lime juice, lime zest, and water on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are popped and release their juice.
2. Pulse the mixture in a food processor.
3. Blend in the egg yolks, remaining sugar, and cornstarch until combined.
4. Cook the mixture again on low heat while whisking for 10 minutes until thickened.
5. Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter until combined.
6. Strain the mixture to make it smooth.
7. Let cool to room temperature.
8. Fill the cooled crust with the cranberry lime curd.
9. Refrigerate the tart until set, at least 4 hours.

For the Whipped Cream Topping:

1. Whisk the cream and sugar until firm peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag with a star tip.
2. Remove the tart from the pan.
3. Pipe the whipped cream along the edges of the tart.
4. Top with cranberries and lime zest.

Recipe from Oh Sweet Day!: A Celebration Cookbook of Edible Gifts, Party Treats, and Festive Desserts, reprinted by permission of Front Table Book, an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc.