About this recipe
Spruce tips are the new growth of a spruce tree in the early spring. you can spot them by the bright green appearance on the tips of branches amongst the old growth of the tree. These tips are tender and not hardley bitter at all. Light lemon flavor in taste with some pine flavors as well. These tips are almost so tender and flavorful you can eat them straight from the tree. I wanted to make something that you could introduce friends to wild foods without it being to….weird, and this hit the spot! I used two drops of blue foods coloring to turn it a light green in color for appeal. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Almond flour
- Powdered Sugar
- Salted Butter
- Egg
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- For The Crust
- Whole Milk
- Spruce Tips
- Egg Yolks
- Sprucetip Sugar
- Orange
- Vanilla Extract
- For The Filling
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Add egg and mix untill smooth.
- Add salt and both types of flour and mix using the paddle attachment on your mixer.
- Remover once dough becomes uniform.
- Refrigerate for one hour.
- Kneed for 2-3 minutes before rolling out and putting to your tart pan.
- freeze tart shells
- Heat milk, Sprucetips, and juice from one orange to a simmer.
- Blend with a stick blender.
- Let steep for one hour.
- Strain through a mesh strainer.
- Whisk eggs and sugar together.
- Whisk eggs slowly into milk so you don’t curdle eggs.
- Whisk in orange zest.
- Pour into tart shells.
- Bake covered with foil in the oven at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 8 more minutes.
- Chill for 2 hours.
- Garnish with nutmeg and fresh orange zest.
Notes
I added two drops of organic blue food coloring to give it a slight green color.
Experience the Wild, One Box at a Time
Bring the Ozarks’ untamed flavors, fragrances, and creativity straight to your home. Each month’s Wild Harvest Gift Box is a seasonal journey featuring handcrafted jams, wild herbs, unique recipes, and artisan creations made from locally foraged ingredients. Discover the taste of the wilderness — delivered right to your door.
Order Now
Ozarks Foragers Cooking Guide
I am writing a comprehensive cookbook about foraging and cooking Ozarks foraged foods. As an experienced wild foods chef with almost 15 years of experience cooking, I have decided it is time to share my accumulated knowledge with other aspiring wild foods chefs. This book will take a deep dive into foraging, fermenting, and cooking Ozarks wild foods.
This fundraiser will help raise the funds for photography, graphics, editing, and more. Thank you for your help in making this dream become a reality!