This festive white chocolate tart features a silky white chocolate ganache swirled with a bright, slightly tart cranberry purée. The filling rests in a warm, spiced Biscoff cookie crust and is finished with sugared cranberries for a glossy, holiday-ready look.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bold, complementary flavors – if you love white chocolate, this tart highlights its creamy sweetness. The Biscoff crust adds warm spice and caramel notes while the cranberry purée brings a bright, tart contrast.
Contrasting textures – a velvety ganache paired with a crisp, crumbly cookie crust and the pop of sugared cranberries creates an enjoyable bite every time.
Festive presentation – the ruby-red cranberry swirls against the pale ganache make a beautiful centerpiece for holiday gatherings or winter parties.
This tart is ideal for Thanksgiving or any winter holiday when fresh cranberries are in season. For other cranberry ideas, try cranberry curd tarts, cranberry orange rolls, cranberry banana bread, or cranberry lemon bars.
Ingredients
- Cranberries – fresh or frozen work well.
- White chocolate – use a high-quality white chocolate suitable for ganache (see notes below).
- Biscoff cookies – ground into fine crumbs for the crust.
- Sugar – for the cranberry purée and optional sugaring.
- Unsalted butter – for the crust and to finish the ganache.
- Heavy whipping cream – to create the ganache.
- White food coloring (optional) – gel or powdered; it can slightly brighten the ganache but isn’t necessary.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient quantities.
Best White Chocolate to Use for Ganache
Because white chocolate is the star, choose a high-quality product with good cocoa butter content and about 35% fat. Brands like Callebaut W2 callets or Valrhona Ivoire work well and melt smoothly. Some premium white chocolate chips (e.g., Guittard) can also be used; avoid low-quality chip-type chocolates that contain too many additives.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap raspberries for cranberries to make a raspberry white chocolate tart.
- Make individual tartlets using mini tart pans for single servings.
- If you don’t have a removable-bottom tart pan, a pie plate will work.
- Swap the cookie crust for a sweet tart crust (pâte sucrée) or a chocolate sweet tart crust for a different base.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Combine ground Biscoff crumbs, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until the crumbs are fully moistened.
2. Press the crumb mixture firmly into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake briefly, then cool completely.
3. Simmer cranberries with sugar and a little water until they burst and thicken, about 5–10 minutes.
4. Purée the cooked cranberries and press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve. Let it cool to room temperature.
White Chocolate Tart Filling
5. Heat heavy cream until it just begins to simmer, then pour it over the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for one minute.
6. Gently stir with a rubber spatula from the center outward until the mixture is smooth and a ganache forms. Add a small amount of white food coloring if you want a brighter appearance.
7. Add cold butter one tablespoon at a time, stirring until each piece is fully incorporated so the ganache becomes glossy and smooth.
8. Let the ganache cool and thicken about 10 minutes, then pour it into the cooled tart shell.
9. Transfer the cranberry purée to a piping bag (or a sealed plastic bag with a corner snipped off) and drizzle it over the ganache in random squiggles.
10. Use a butter knife to swirl the cranberry purée into the white chocolate for a decorative marbled effect. Chill until set, then top with sugared cranberries if desired.
Expert Tips
- Make sure the crust is completely cool before pouring in the ganache so it sets evenly.
- Allow the hot cream to sit on the chopped white chocolate for a full minute to help the chocolate melt evenly.
- Stir the ganache with a spatula, not a whisk, to minimize air bubbles and keep the surface smooth.
- If the ganache has unmelted bits, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve or use an immersion blender, then strain to remove any air bubbles.
How to Fix Split Ganache
If the ganache separates or becomes grainy, add a little warm milk and whisk gently to re-emulsify. Avoid adding extra cream (it may be the cause). Using an immersion blender or warming the bowl over a small pan of simmering water and re-stirring can also bring it back together.
Storage
Store the tart covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze, wrap the tart tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to two months. Thaw fully in the fridge and allow the tart to sit at room temperature about an hour before serving for the best texture and flavor.
More Tart Recipes You’ll Love
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Chocolate Espresso Tart
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Chocolate Almond Fig Tart
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Blueberry White Chocolate Ganache Tart
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
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📖 Recipe
Cranberry White Chocolate Tart
This festive white chocolate tart is filled with a creamy white chocolate ganache and swirled with a sweet and slightly tart cranberry purée. Nestled into a warm-spiced Biscoff cookie crust and topped with sugared cranberries, this tart is sure to please a crowd.
Equipment
- 9-inch tart pan (or pie dish)
- Fine mesh sieve
- Immersion blender, blender, or food processor
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for purée)
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups ground Biscoff cookies (about 250 g)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for crust)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 600 g white chocolate, finely chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream (270 ml)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoon pieces (28 g)
- White food coloring (optional)
- Sugared cranberries for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add cranberries, sugar, and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5–10 minutes until juices release and berries soften; break up cranberries with the back of a spoon.
- Purée the cooked cranberries, then press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grind Biscoff cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor. Combine crumbs with melted butter and salt; mix until fully moistened.
- Press crumbs firmly into a tart pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it just simmers. Place chopped white chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let sit 1 minute.
- Stir from the center outward with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add butter one tablespoon at a time, stirring until melted and glossy. Stir in a drop or two of white food coloring if desired.
- Let the ganache cool and thicken for about 10 minutes, then pour into the cooled crust.
- Pipe or drizzle the cranberry purée over the ganache in random squiggles. Use a butter knife to swirl for a marbled pattern.
- Chill the tart uncovered until set. Top with sugared cranberries before slicing, if using. Allow the tart to come to room temperature about one hour before serving for the best texture.
Notes
- Allow the crust to cool completely before adding ganache.
- Let the hot cream sit on the white chocolate for at least one minute to ensure smooth melting.
- Use a spatula (not a whisk) to minimize air bubbles in the ganache.
- If chunks remain, strain the ganache through a fine-mesh sieve or use an immersion blender and then strain to remove air bubbles.
- Store the tart covered in the fridge for up to four days or freeze wrapped tightly for up to two months.