Description
These elegant Blood Orange Tarts with Vanilla Custard combine a crisp, buttery tart shell with a smooth, creamy vanilla custard filling, topped with vibrant, fresh blood orange slices. Perfect for a sophisticated dessert that balances citrus brightness and rich sweetness, these tarts are ideal for entertaining or a special treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Tart Dough
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1-2 tablespoons ice water
- Pinch of salt
Vanilla Custard Filling
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Topping and Glaze
- 3-4 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional for glazing)
- 1 teaspoon water (optional for glazing)
Instructions
- Prepare Tart Dough: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse again, then add ice water one tablespoon at a time just until the dough comes together.
- Chill Dough: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough, which helps with easy rolling and prevents shrinking during baking.
- Line Tart Pans: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out rounds to fit six 4-inch tart pans. Press the dough gently into the pans and trim the excess. Chill the lined tart pans again for 20 minutes to ensure the dough hardens before baking.
- Blind Bake Shells: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line each tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights to keep the shape during baking. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the weights and parchment and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the shells are golden and cooked through. Let the shells cool completely before filling.
- Prepare Vanilla Custard: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until pale and smooth. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and bubbles, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter until smooth.
- Cool Custard: Pour the custard into a clean bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and set.
- Assemble Tarts: Spoon the chilled custard evenly into the cooled tart shells. Arrange the thin blood orange slices attractively on top, overlapping slightly for a beautiful presentation.
- Glaze and Chill: In a small saucepan, gently warm the honey and water until runny and easily brushable. Lightly brush this glaze over the blood orange slices to add shine and a touch of sweetness. Chill the assembled tarts until ready to serve, allowing the glaze to set.
Notes
- Using cold butter and ice water is key to achieving a tender, flaky tart crust.
- Blind baking the tart shells ensures a crisp base that won’t get soggy when filled with custard.
- Covering the custard with plastic wrap while cooling prevents an unpleasant skin from forming on the surface.
- Blood oranges can be substituted with regular oranges or other citrus fruits based on availability.
- The honey glaze is optional but adds a beautiful glossy finish and a subtle sweetness.
