Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients:

Filling:
• 3 cups apple juice
  
• 2/3 cup lime juice
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 pound dried sweet-tart cherries
• 8 ounces yellow raisins
• 6 ounces dried figs, stems cut off, quartered
• 4 ounces prunes
• ½ teaspoon clove powder
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg yolk

Dough:
• 12 ounces butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces sugar
• 1 pound all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ¼ ounces cornstarch
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 2 egg whites
• Granulated sugar, to garnish

Method:
For filling:
Bring apple juice, lime juice, vanilla bean and 1¼ cups brown sugar to a boil in a pot over medium heat. Turn heat to low and add cherries, raisins, figs and prunes. Simmer for 45 minutes. Let fruit sit in liquid overnight. The following day, strain fruit mixture and discard liquid.

Mix together stewed fruit with ¾ cup brown sugar, spices and egg yolk, and puree in a food processor in several small batches, so as not to stress the machine. Place finely pureed mixture in a bowl. Filling can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

For dough:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a stand mixer fitted with balloon whisk attachment. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix dough. Divide dough in equal halves and wrap each in plastic. Chill dough for 24 hours, if possible. Label one piece “A” and the other piece “B.”

Roll out both pieces of dough with a bit of flour to 1/8-inch-thick squares, matching them up as evenly as possible.

Facing dough “A,” cut the square in half, and then cut each half again to get four equal rectangular strips of dough. Now, cut the dough horizontally into thirds. You will have 12 rectangular pieces of dough.

Facing dough “B”, use a fork to poke holes into the dough to allow steam to release while baking. Cut dough “B” into 12 rectangular pieces in the same manner as dough “A.” There should now be 24 rectangles.

To assemble:
Whisk egg and milk together in a small bowl. Brush egg wash onto dough “A” along cut lines and outer edges. Place approximately 2 Tablespoons cherry filling into the center of each square. Take the back of a spoon and spread filling out on square, leaving ¼ inch on all sides of the dough. Place dough “B” with poked holes on top of dough “A” and gently press the edges together to seal each tart. Place tarts in refrigerator to rest about 30 minutes.

Remove tarts from refrigerator and use a fluted pastry wheel, pizza cutter or knife to cut along edges of tarts to completely seal them and straighten the edges. At this stage, tarts can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place tarts on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush tops of tarts lightly with egg whites and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown.

When tarts have cooled completely, they can be individually wrapped and then reheated for 10 minutes in a 325°F oven for a quick snack or dessert.

Wine Pairing:
A sweet fortified wine from Southern France such as the Le Cellier des Templiers Banyuls St. Elme.