Norwegian Success Tart (suksessterte)
The Norwegian Success Tart, or suksessterte in Norwegian, is a celebratory tart made year-round that has found a special place at the Easter table.
Exploring my Norwegian roots has been such a joy because I find recipes like these that are so simple yet so delicious.
This tart is naturally gluten-free thanks to a spongy, bouncy, and tender macaron bottom made with hazelnut (or almond) flour. A simple vanilla custard is spread over the top and shaved chocolate rounds it out. It is rich and decadent, and it would make the most beautiful dessert on your Easter table.
I hope you enjoy this. It makes me so happy to share Norwegian recipes with you all!
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes (plus 1+ hours of chilling)
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients:
For the hazelnut macaron bottom:
5 egg whites
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups hazelnut or almond flour
For the vanilla custard:
5 egg yolks
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
For serving:
shaved dark chocolate or toasted coconut
The chocolate is traditional, but the toasted coconut is also very good! The coconut gives it a Norwegian Vanilla Custard Coconut Bun vibe.
Method:
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Add the egg whites to a large bowl and whip them on medium with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the powdered sugar and hazelnut flour until just combined. It is important to do this gently so as not to deflate all of the air we just incorporated into the egg whites.
Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter or cooking spray (I like to grease with the wrapper from my butter by wiping it all over the pan). Gently pour the hazelnut-egg white mixture into the pan and spread it out evenly (and gently!). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden brown, and when you gently press on it with your finger, it should feel firm and spring back slightly with no jiggle. Remove from the oven, and let it cool completely in the pan.
While the macaron base is baking, make the custard. Place a small pot over medium heat and add the egg yolks, heavy cream, cane sugar, vanilla bean paste, and kosher salt. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to bubble. Once it is bubbling, reduce the heat to low and whisk until it is thickened (think pudding texture). Remove from the heat and continue to whisk constantly for another 2-3 minutes. The pot will still be very warm, and this is to ensure that the eggs do not curdle. Let this cool completely in the pot. It is so important to let the macaron base and the vanilla custard both cool completely, otherwise the base will fall apart and the custard will be too runny.
In a large bowl, whip the softened butter until it is smooth. Add the cooled custard to the butter and whip this together until combined and slightly fluffy—about a minute or so.
Very gently transfer the cooled hazelnut macaron base to your serving platter of choice and evenly spread the vanilla custard on top. Finish it with shaved dark chocolate or toasted coconut, and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving. I think this tart tastes the best after being chilled for a long time (4+ hours) because the custard sets up really nicely. If you are short on time, don’t worry! Enjoy!
