Salty Nut Tart from “Dessert Person”

Jan 2

Jan 2 Salty Nut Tart from “Dessert Person”

My thoughtful husband (and frequent TBLSPOON photographer) gifted me Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz this past Christmas. So for New Year's Eve, I tried my first recipe from it: Salty Nut Tart with Rosemary. 2020 was definitely a salty year to say the least, so ending on a salty-sweet note seemed fitting. Plus, I was intrigued by the idea of "seasoning" the filling of pine nuts and walnuts with fresh rosemary. That's actually the unique thing about this cookbook. Yes, it has some unique formatting, breaking recipes down into a matrix of difficulty and the time it takes to make them, but the really interesting part, thankfully, are the recipes themselves. For the most part, they’re familiar in name so they feel approachable, but the author adds interesting twists, reinventing them just enough to tempt you to give them a try.

For example, the method for making the filling for this tart is very similar to the making of my Pecan Shortbread Bars, but the pine nut, walnut, rosemary, and honey combination make this dessert taste and look entirely different. I don't see a lot of desserts with pine nuts in general - probably due to their cost - but for a special occasion and the opportunity to try something out of the norm I decided it was worth a little splurge. And let me tell you, it was worth it! The combination of flavors is decadent and unique: rich and buttery from the pine nuts balanced by a depth from the walnuts and rosemary, and not too sweet. The rosemary is there but doesn't overpower, making the tart a sophisticated, but not complicated, end to a festive meal. Next time, I might adjust the pine nut to walnut ratio, but that would be to suit my own taste, I recommend making it as written the first time you make it.

Please note: Though I used my mini tart pans, the recipe is for a single, larger tart.

At the time of writing this post, the cookbook is sold out on Amazon, but is available on Target and Anthropologie.

You can also find the recipe online here: https://cherrybombe.com/recipes/claire-saffitz-salty-nut-tart-with-rosemary