There are some desserts that seem to do half the decorating for you, and blood oranges certainly fall into that category. Their deep ruby and coral colors make this tart beautiful before you’ve added a single garnish. I especially like serving it when I want dessert to feel a little special without being overly elaborate. The filling is bright and citrusy, the shortbread-style crust gives it just enough richness, and a few fresh blood orange slices on top make a simple finish that looks anything but ordinary.
Recipe adapted from the Blood Orange Tart recipe by Kim, originally published on Allrecipes
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8
Yield: 1 9-inch tart
Ingredients:
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Filling
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup blood orange juice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons blood orange zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium blood oranges, thinly sliced
Instructions:
- Lightly butter or grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and set it aside.
- To prepare the crust, add the flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to a food processor. Pulse briefly to blend. Add the pieces of cold butter and continue pulsing until the mixture becomes fine and crumbly, with a texture similar to coarse sand.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared tart pan. Using slightly damp hands, press it firmly and evenly across the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Prick the base in several places with a fork, then place the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- While the crust chills, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Set the chilled tart shell on a baking sheet. Cover the crust with aluminum foil and add dried beans to weigh it down while it bakes.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is beginning to develop a light golden color. Carefully lift out the foil and beans, then return the crust to the oven for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the bottom looks dry and set. Remove it from the oven and lower the temperature to 325°F (165°C).
- For the filling, bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. You’ll use this to create a double boiler for cooking the citrus custard.
- In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the blood orange juice, beaten eggs, egg yolk, and zest, whisking until the mixture is completely combined and smooth.
- Position the bowl over the gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl stays above the water rather than touching it. Stir continuously as the filling cooks. After approximately 5 to 10 minutes, it should noticeably thicken and lightly coat the back of a spoon.
- Take the bowl off the heat. Add the butter a piece at a time, stirring until each piece has completely melted before adding another.
- For an especially smooth filling, strain the warm mixture through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the prepared tart crust.
- Return the tart to the 325°F oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is set. It should no longer look liquid in the center, although a slight softness is fine.
- Let the tart cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes before carefully removing it from the pan.
- Refrigerate for approximately 3 hours, giving the filling plenty of time to chill and fully set.
- Just before serving, arrange the thin blood orange slices over the top. Serve chilled.
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