Rinse and drain the cranberries and remove any blemished berries. In a small bowl, soften the gelatin in the cold water. In a 3 quart heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, jelly and Kirsch (or brandy) and cook over LOW heat for 10 minutes, just until the cranberries are softened.

Remove from the heat and let cool 5 minutes. Stir in the gelatin and cool completely. Pour into the tart shell and chill until firm. Keep chilled until 1/2 hour before serving.

TART DOUGH:

1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened but still firm
1/4 cup of  sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cup of  flour
2 teaspoons of  vanilla

In the bowl of a mixer combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into pieces, and mix it into the flour on low speed, until the butter is the size of small peas. Combine the eggs and vanilla and add to the dough with the mixer running. Stop mixing just when the dough begins to come together. Knead gently into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour. Remove for 20 minutes before rolling.

Roll out into a 14 inch round, and line a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, making sure the sides are thick enough to stand up. Chill for 30 minutes. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights (dry beans). Bake at 350ºF. for 10 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until the bottom of the tart shell is browned. Cool.