Eggnog Crème Tart: The Ultimate Holiday Dessert

Welcome to the ultimate holiday showstopper: the Eggnog Crème Tart. If you’re looking for a dessert that perfectly captures the festive spirit, this is it. Imagine a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust filled with a silky, rich, and delicately spiced eggnog pastry cream. It’s an elegant, impressive dessert that is surprisingly straightforward to make. This recipe will guide you through creating a flawless tart that will become a treasured part of your holiday traditions.

Why You’ll Love This Eggnog Crème Tart Recipe

This isn’t just another holiday dessert; it’s an experience. The creamy custard, infused with the classic flavors of nutmeg and cinnamon, offers a sophisticated alternative to traditional pies. The crisp, cookie-like crust provides the perfect textural contrast, ensuring every bite is a perfect balance of flavor and texture. It’s the ideal make-ahead dessert for festive gatherings, freeing up your time on the big day.

The Perfect Holiday Centerpiece

Picture this Eggnog Crème Tart sitting on your Christmas dinner table. Its beautiful, creamy surface, lightly dusted with fresh nutmeg, is the epitome of holiday elegance. It’s a versatile dessert, perfect for serving after a grand feast or as a delightful treat for a cozy winter afternoon. If you enjoy planning your holiday meals, consider pairing this tart with some savory appetizers like our Bacon Jam Cheeseburger Sliders for a complete, crowd-pleasing menu.

Understanding the Key Components

A truly great tart is a sum of its parts. Here’s what makes this recipe special:

The Buttery Shortbread Crust

We use a classic pâté sablée (a rich, sweet shortbread dough) for our crust. It’s tender yet sturdy enough to hold the creamy filling without becoming soggy. The key is using cold butter and not overworking the dough, which results in a wonderfully crisp texture.

The Silky Eggnog Pastry Cream

The heart of this Eggnog Crème Tart is its filling. We create a luxurious crème pâtissière, or pastry cream, but with a festive twist. By infusing it with eggnog, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a hint of optional rum, we transform it into a truly decadent holiday treat. Tempering the eggs carefully is crucial for that ultra-smooth consistency.

The Festive Spiced Topping

A simple dusting of freshly grated nutmeg is all this tart needs. It enhances the eggnog aroma and adds a touch of visual elegance, signaling the classic holiday flavors within.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best results, use high-quality, full-fat ingredients. This is a celebration, after all! Using fresh, whole spices, especially grating your own nutmeg, will make a significant difference in the final flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Perfect Eggnog Crème Tart

Follow these steps closely, and you’ll have a bakery-worthy tart to share with your loved ones.

Making the Shortbread Crust

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined.
2. Add Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
3. Form the Dough: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add this to the food processor and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Do not overmix.
4. Chill: Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll and Shape: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any excess dough.
6. Blind Bake: Freeze the tart shell for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights, then bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let it cool completely.

Preparing the Eggnog Crème Filling

1. Heat Milk Mixture: In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk, heavy cream, and eggnog over medium heat until it just begins to simmer.
2. Whisk Eggs and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt until the mixture is pale and thick.
3. Temper the Eggs: Slowly and steadily, pour about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This is a critical step to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
4. Cook the Custard: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and comes to a boil. Let it boil for one minute, still whisking, then remove from the heat.
5. Finish the Crème: Whisk in the butter, vanilla extract, nutmeg, cinnamon, and optional rum until the butter is fully melted and the crème is smooth.

Assembling and Chilling the Tart

1. Fill the Crust: Pour the warm eggnog pastry cream into the cooled, pre-baked tart crust and spread it into an even layer.
2. Chill: Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the tart for at least 4 hours, or until the filling is completely firm.
3. Serve: Just before serving, gently remove the tart from the pan. Garnish with a fresh dusting of nutmeg. Slice and enjoy!

Pro Tips for a Flawless Tart

• Don’t Skip Chilling the Dough: Chilling the dough is essential. It prevents the crust from shrinking during baking and ensures a tender texture.
• Use a Tart Pan with a Removable Bottom: This makes it incredibly easy to remove and present the finished tart without any damage.
• Temper Eggs Slowly: The key to a silky smooth custard is adding the hot liquid to the eggs very slowly at first. Rushing this step will result in scrambled eggs.
• Fresh Nutmeg is Best: The flavor of freshly grated nutmeg is far superior to the pre-ground variety. It provides a warm, aromatic spice that defines this dessert.

Delicious Variations to Try

While this Eggnog Crème Tart is perfection on its own, here are a few ideas to customize it:

• Gingersnap Crust: Swap the shortbread crust for a spicy gingersnap cookie crust for an extra layer of holiday flavor.
• Bourbon Whipped Cream: Top the tart with a dollop of whipped cream spiked with a splash of bourbon.
• Chocolate Shavings: Garnish with white or dark chocolate shavings for a touch of decadence. For other chocolatey treats, try our Brownie Bottom Mini Cheesecakes.

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

This tart is an excellent make-ahead dessert. The tart shell can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The eggnog pastry cream can also be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator with plastic wrap on its surface. Assemble the tart on the day you plan to serve it, allowing at least 4 hours for it to set. Leftover tart should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For another great make-ahead option, our Blueberry Coffee Cake is a fantastic choice for breakfast or dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eggnog Crème Tart

Share Your Creation!

We hope you love this delicious Eggnog Crème Tart! If you make this recipe, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below. We’d love to see your beautiful creations, so don’t forget to share a photo on Pinterest!

Eggnog Crème Tart Recipe

FL Recipes

Eggnog Crème Tart: The Ultimate Holiday Dessert

A festive Eggnog Crème Tart featuring a buttery shortbread crust and a silky, spiced eggnog pastry cream. This elegant dessert is the perfect centerpiece for your holiday celebrations, guaranteed to impress with its rich flavor and creamy texture.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 450

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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For the Shortbread Crust

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Eggnog Pastry Cream

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup prepared eggnog store-bought or homemade
• 6 large egg yolks
• 0.75 cup granulated sugar
• 0.33 cup cornstarch
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg plus more for garnish
• 0.25 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp dark rum or bourbon optional

Equipment

• 1 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
• 1 Food processor
• 1 Saucepan

Method

 

Make the Shortbread Crust

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Whisk the egg yolk and vanilla, add to the processor, and pulse just until the dough comes together. Form into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.
4. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove weights and bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.

Prepare the Eggnog Pastry Cream

1. Heat the milk, heavy cream, and eggnog in a saucepan until simmering.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale and thick.
3. Slowly whisk about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper it. Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan.
4. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and boils for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
5. Whisk in the butter, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and optional rum until smooth.

Assemble and Chill

1. Pour the warm pastry cream into the cooled tart crust and spread evenly.
2. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
3. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcalProtein: 7gFat: 28gFiber: 1g

Notes

Tip 1: To ensure a crisp crust, you can brush the bottom of the fully baked tart shell with a thin layer of beaten egg white and bake for 2 more minutes. This creates a waterproof seal.
Tip 2: Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring it into the tart shell for an extra-silky smooth texture.
Tip 3: Let the tart sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before slicing to take the chill off for the best flavor and texture.

Keyword christmas dessert,Eggnog Crème Tart,holiday baking

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