Recipes from the Platform - Tarte Aux Noix

Ah, the walnut tart - that quietly confident dessert that needs neither hot custard nor sticky jam to make its entrance. Born in the hills and valleys of southwest France, it’s what happens when fistfulls of rural walnuts meet a good curl of butter, a wide ribbon of cream and a decent crackle of sugar. No drama, no tiers, no soufflé to collapse — just a golden crust holding everything in perfect balance.

There’s an elegance to it, though not the fluffy, Parisian sort. It’s the elegance of restraint — the kind you find in people who are clearly well-travlled, or look after their shoes. Each bite is a lesson in proportion: the earthiness of nuts meeting the whisper of caramel, that faint bitterness that keeps the sweetness honest. Rinsed downwards with an unassuming glass of Mobazillac. Reliable accompanying notes of honey and gingerbread.

Traditionally, the tart was served at harvest, when walnuts were fresh and hands still smelled of woodsmoke. These days, it’s more likely to appear beside coffee, or as the quiet showstopper at a village lunch. Either way, it never disappoints.

If France had a national personality test in pastry form, the walnut tart might be it — elegantly earthy, a bit nutty, and entirely sure of itself.

For the tart shell

87 grams (2⁄3 cup) all-purpose flour

46 grams (1⁄3 cup) whole-wheat flour

40 grams (3 tablespoons) white sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) salted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling

107 grams (1⁄2 cup) white sugar

1⁄4 cup honey

1⁄3 cup crème fraîche

4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) salted butter

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large egg yolks

230 grams (21⁄2 cups) walnuts, roughly chopped and lightly toasted

Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. Mist a 9- inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment or a silicon pad.

To make the tart shell, in a food processor, process until combined both flours, the sugar and salt, about 5 seconds. Scatter the butter over the mixture and pulse until it resembles coarse sand, 10 to 12 pulses. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, then process until the mixture is evenly moistened and cohesive, 20 to 30 seconds; the mixture may not form a single mass.

Crumble the dough into the prepared tart pan, evenly covering the surface. Using the bottom of a dry measuring cup, press into an even layer over the bottom and up the sides; the edge of the dough should be flush with the rim. Use a fork to prick all over the bottom, then freeze until the dough is firm, 15 to 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, make the filling. Pour 1⁄4 cup water into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and honey into the center, avoiding contact with the sides. Cook over medium, swirling the pan frequently, until the mixture is amber in color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Off heat, add the crème fraîche, butter, vinegar and salt, then whisk until the butter is melted and the mixture is well combined. Let cool until just warm, about 30 minutes.

While the caramel cools, set the dough-lined tart pan on the prepared baking sheet. You want to blind bake the dough before adding the filling. Line the dough with parchment or foil and weight it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes and then carefully remove the foil and weights. Return the tart shell to the oven for another 15 minutes until the crust is a light brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the yolks into the warm honey filling, then add the nuts and stir until evenly coated. Pour the filling into the warm tart shell, then gently spread in an even layer. Bake until the edges of the filling begin to puff and the center jiggles only slightly when gently shaken, 25 to 35 minutes. Then turn off the heat, open the oven door slightly and leave the tart in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Let the tart cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Remove the pan sides. Serve warm or at room temperature. The tart is superb accompanied by lightly sweetened crème fraîche or whipped cream.

Platform 13 "Do-Don't" Notes; 

Don’t overcook the caramel. Aim for an amber hue; if it gets much darker than that, the finished tart will taste bitter.

Whole-wheat flour in the crust plays up the earthiness of the walnuts.

To toast the walnuts, spread them in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 325°F until fragrant and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes, stirring just once or twice; do not over toast them or they will taste bitter.

The dough-lined tart pan can be prepared in advance; after the dough is firm, wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to two weeks.