Best Pretzel Tart Recipes

PRETZEL-CRUSTED BUTTERSCOTCH BANANA CREAM TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse the pretzels until they're finely ground but not turned to dust. Some pretzel pieces should still be intact. Transfer the pretzel bits to a large bowl. Add the melted butter and brown sugar to the crushed pretzels and stir to combine.
• Place a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom on the prepared sheet and, using a spoon, fill with the pretzel mixture and shape it so the edges are crisp and it's about 1/4 inch thick all over. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes and cool in the pan on a wire rack.
• Make the filling: Put a damp kitchen towel under a large bowl and whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. (The towel will ensure the bowl doesn't slide around.)
• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the milk until it is above room temperature, about 4 minutes. With one hand, start whisking the cornstarch mixture; with the other hand, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the bowl, whisking until all the milk is incorporated.
• Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and cook on medium heat until the filling is thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Don't let it boil.
• Using a rubber spatula, pour the filling into a bowl, then stir in the butter and vanilla until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing down to make sure that the wrap and the pudding are touching. Refrigerate until it is cool to touch.
• Make the butterscotch sauce: Clip a candy thermometer to a large saucepan. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and 3/4 cup of cream to the pan and heat over medium-high heat until it boils, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly heat the sauce until it reaches 234 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
• When the sauce reaches 234 degrees F, take it off the stove and let it cool for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce into a large bowl. Slowly stir in the butter until incorporated with a wooden spoon. Carefully drizzle in the remaining cream and the vanilla while stirring constantly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Make the tart: Arrange half of the banana slices and chocolate chips if using in the bottom of the tart shell. Pour about half of the filling into the tart shell and spread it around evenly. Eat the remaining pudding with a spoon. (It tastes better if you share.)
• Arrange the rest of the bananas and chocolate chips if using on the top of the pastry cream. Put the tart shell in the fridge until you're ready to finish the tart.
• Make the topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt and continue to whip, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is well combined, about 1 minute.
• With the mixer speed on low, drizzle in the cream. Increase the speed and whisk, scraping down the sides as needed, until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Detach the bowl from the mixer and set aside.
• Finish the tart: Remove the tart shell from the fridge. Using a rubber spatula, generously cover the tart with the topping. Artfully drizzle the butterscotch sauce over the pie.
• Using a cheese grater, rasp grater or vegetable peeler, shave milk chocolate over the tart. Slice and serve with more butterscotch sauce.

MILK-CHOCOLATE TART WITH PRETZEL CRUST

Steps:

• MAKE THE CRUST: In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with 3/4 cup of the pretzels and the confectioners' sugar at low speed until creamy. Beat in the flour and egg. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of pretzels, being sure to leave some pretzel pieces intact. Flatten the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°. Roll out the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap to a 12-inch round. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough over a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the corners and patch any tears. Trim the overhanging dough and refrigerate the shell for 30 minutes or until firm. Ask a question about this step. Line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for about 30 minutes, until nearly set. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the tart shell is firm; cover the edge with foil if it darkens too much. Let the shell cool completely. Brush the melted chocolate over the bottom and up the side and refrigerate for 10 minutes, until set. Filling: MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Off the heat, add the milk chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Pour the filling into the shell and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and crushed pretzels. Cut into wedges, top with crème fraîche; serve.

KIELBASA, APPLE, AND CHEDDAR PRETZEL TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack in lower third. On a parchment-lined baking sheet lightly dusted with flour, stretch dough into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle, with a 1-inch border of thicker dough. Brush entire surface inside border evenly with mustard. Brush border with egg, then sprinkle generously with salt. Sprinkle cheese over mustard. Scatter kielbasa, apple, onion, and sage evenly over cheese, then drizzle with oil.
• Bake until crust is deep golden brown and bottom is set, about 25 minutes; tent with foil if edges brown too quickly. Serve hot.

PRETZEL TART

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, thoroughly cream sugar and butter. Mix in pretzels. Press mixture into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and refrigerate.
• Prepare lemon pudding mix according to package instructions. In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Fold in whipped topping.
• Spread cream cheese mixture over top of pretzel crust. Then spoon lemon pudding over cream cheese layer. Cover and refrigerate until pudding is set.

RETRO STRAWBERRIES-AND-CREAM PRETZEL TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4.
• To make the Crust:
• Put the pretzels into a resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin into pieces that are no larger than 1/4 in/6 mm. (Or pulse the pretzels in a food processor, if you prefer.) Pour the crushed pretzels and their crumbs into a medium bowl and stir in the butter and brown sugar. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9-in/23-cm springform pan, covering the bottom of the pan evenly. Bake the crust until it is lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. It will be soft and puffy when you first remove it from the oven, but will harden as it cools. Set the crust aside to cool completely.
• Put the bowl of a stand mixer and the whip attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Attach the bowl and the whisk attachment to the mixer, and pour in the cream. Begin whipping the cream on medium speed. When it starts to thicken, pour in 2 tbsp of the granulated sugar and the vanilla. Whip the cream mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form. (When you dip a spoon into the whipped cream and pull it out, the cream should form a peak that curls back onto itself.) Set aside 1 1/2 cups/360 ml of the whipped cream in a small bowl. Transfer the remaining whipped cream to a separate bowl, cover, and refrigerate; you will use it to top the tart later.
• Put the remaining 1/2 cup/100 g of granulated sugar and the cream cheese in the bowl of the stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and cream cheese together on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and stir the reserved 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until it is homogenous. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cooled crust. Be sure to completely cover the crust, spreading the filling to the edges of the pan. Use a damp paper towel to wipe down any specks of filling clinging to the sides of the pan or the edges of the tart will appear messy when the springform is removed. Refrigerate until chilled and set, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup/120 ml of the water to a boil over high heat. Put the gelatin powder in a medium heat-proof bowl and pour in the boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup/60 ml of cold water. Allow the gelatin to cool to room temperature.
• While the gelatin cools, arrange the strawberries, cut-side down, over the cream cheese filling to cover the entire top of the tart. Start by lining the edge of the tart with a ring of strawberries and work your way to the center in a target pattern. The tips of the berries should be pointing straight up. Pour the gelatin over the strawberries and cream cheese layer, coating the tops of the strawberries in the gelatin as you pour. Refrigerate, covered, until the gelatin is completely set, at least 1 hour. (The tart can be refrigerated up to 1 day before serving.)
• Remove the sides of the pan and transfer the tart (still on the springform base) to a serving platter. Gently rewhisk the reserved whipped cream for 10 to 15 seconds and pile it in the center of the tart, if you wish or pass at the table. Slice and serve immediately.

RETRO STRAWBERRIES-AND-CREAM PRETZEL TART RECIPE | EPICURIOUS.COM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4.
• To make the Crust:
• Put the pretzels into a resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin into pieces that are no larger than 1/4 in/6 mm. (Or pulse the pretzels in a food processor, if you prefer.) Pour the crushed pretzels and their crumbs into a medium bowl and stir in the butter and brown sugar. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9-in/23-cm springform pan, covering the bottom of the pan evenly. Bake the crust until it is lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. It will be soft and puffy when you first remove it from the oven, but will harden as it cools. Set the crust aside to cool completely.
• Put the bowl of a stand mixer and the whip attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Attach the bowl and the whisk attachment to the mixer, and pour in the cream. Begin whipping the cream on medium speed. When it starts to thicken, pour in 2 tbsp of the granulated sugar and the vanilla. Whip the cream mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form. (When you dip a spoon into the whipped cream and pull it out, the cream should form a peak that curls back onto itself.) Set aside 1 1/2 cups/360 ml of the whipped cream in a small bowl. Transfer the remaining whipped cream to a separate bowl, cover, and refrigerate; you will use it to top the tart later.
• Put the remaining 1/2 cup/100 g of granulated sugar and the cream cheese in the bowl of the stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and cream cheese together on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and stir the reserved 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until it is homogenous. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cooled crust. Be sure to completely cover the crust, spreading the filling to the edges of the pan. Use a damp paper towel to wipe down any specks of filling clinging to the sides of the pan or the edges of the tart will appear messy when the springform is removed. Refrigerate until chilled and set, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup/120 ml of the water to a boil over high heat. Put the gelatin powder in a medium heat-proof bowl and pour in the boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup/60 ml of cold water. Allow the gelatin to cool to room temperature.
• While the gelatin cools, arrange the strawberries, cut-side down, over the cream cheese filling to cover the entire top of the tart. Start by lining the edge of the tart with a ring of strawberries and work your way to the center in a target pattern. The tips of the berries should be pointing straight up. Pour the gelatin over the strawberries and cream cheese layer, coating the tops of the strawberries in the gelatin as you pour. Refrigerate, covered, until the gelatin is completely set, at least 1 hour. (The tart can be refrigerated up to 1 day before serving.)
• Remove the sides of the pan and transfer the tart (still on the springform base) to a serving platter. Gently rewhisk the reserved whipped cream for 10 to 15 seconds and pile it in the center of the tart, if you wish or pass at the table. Slice and serve immediately.
• Reprinted with permission from Pretzel Making at Home by Andrea Slonecker. Text copyright © 2013 by Andrea Slonecker; photographs copyright © 2013 by Alex Farnum. Published by Chronicle Books LLC.