Cranberry Jam and Dessert

I think that this recipe / post is a good way of combining the age old cranberry sauce and a nice dessert all in one.. I am an avid reader of A Tender Crumb and when I saw the post for the new Tuesdays With Dorie recipe, I knew that this was the finale to the holiday dinner.
For a couple of years now, I have been following food blogs from all over and that's what gave me the idea to create my own. I've wanted to join the TWD blogroll for a while now, and I think after this recipe I may have to. Now I'm no expert, I just love to cook. So when I saw this recipe, I knew it was an excuse for me to ditch the can of cranberry sauce and really step out of the box. First, let me say, I love cranberry sauce. and now that I know how to make it, I'll never buy it again. Well, maybe I will, for convenience, and I'll eat the one can my mother has in the pantry, but this time next year...I'll be making my own for everyone in my family. It was the easiest thing I made on Thanksgiving.

This recipe comes straight from A Singleton in the Kitchen

Not-Just-For-Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread Cake
Baking From My Home to Yours pg 208-209
Ingredients
For the Jam Filling:
1 large navel orange
about 1/4 cup of orange juice
1 12-ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
About 1 cup sugar

For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 stick plus 5 tablespoons (13 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To Make the Jam Filling:
Grate the zest of an orange into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slice off the peel, removing the white, cottony pith that sticks to the fruit, and slice between the membranes to release the orange segments. Cut the segments into 1/4-inch wide pieces and toss these into the pan. Working over a measuring cup, squeeze the juice from the membranes -- if you have 1/4 cup, great; if not, add enough additional orange juice (or water) to make 1/4 cup -- and pour it into the pan.

Put the cranberries in the pan, stir in 3/4 cup of sugar, set the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the cranberries pop and your spoon leaves tracks, about 5 minutes. Scrape the jam into a bowl and taste it -- if it's too tart, add more sugar to taste. Cool to room temperature. (The filling can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

To Make the Cake:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and smooth. Add 1 cup of sugar and continue to beat until it dissolves into the butter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the egg and egg yolk and, beating until they too are absorbed. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, mixing only until it is incorporated; since this is a delicate dough, one that should not be over beaten, you might want to finish mixing in the flour by hand using a sturdy spatula. You'll have a thick dough, one that is quite malleable.

Turn the dough out onto a smooth surface and gather it together in a ball, then divide in half and pat each half into a disk. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate them for 15 to 30 minutes. (At this point, the dough can be refrigerated overnight; set it out at room temperature for about 20 minutes before proceeding.)

Getting Ready to Bake:
While the dough is chilling, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan (preferably nonstick) and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Work with one piece of dough at a time. For the bottom layer, either roll out the dough to size between two pieces of plastic wrap -- it's an easy enough dough to roll -- and lay it in the pan, or put the dough in the pan and press it lightly and evenly across the bottom with your fingertips. Spread the cranberry filling over the dough.

Unwrap the second piece of dough, but leave it on the plastic. Press and/or roll it until it is just the diameter of the pan. Carefully lift the dough and invert it on the filling, lift off the plastic and use your fingers to even it as necessary so that it covers the filling. Brush the top of the cake very lightly with water and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar. (at this point I should say that my dough split in half and it was hard to fit, but I made it work...)

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top of the cake is lightly golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool for about 20 minutes, then run a blunt knife around the cake, remove the sides of the pan and let cool to room temperature.