Blood Orange Tarts with Custard (Print version)

Crisp tart shells with vanilla custard and vibrant blood orange segments. A stunning French-inspired dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Tart Shells

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1-2 tablespoons ice water
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Vanilla Custard

07 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk
08 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 3 large egg yolks
10 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Blood Orange Topping

13 - 3-4 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
14 - 1 tablespoon honey, optional for glazing
15 - 1 teaspoon water, optional for glazing

# How To Make It:

01 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse, adding ice water one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together.
02 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
03 - Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut to fit six 4-inch tart pans. Press dough into pans and trim excess. Chill for 20 minutes.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line tart shells with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 5 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
05 - In a medium saucepan, heat milk until steaming. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Gradually whisk in hot milk. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and butter.
06 - Transfer custard to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 1 hour.
07 - Spoon chilled custard into cooled tart shells. Top with overlapping slices of blood orange.
08 - Warm honey and water in a small pan and brush over oranges for a glossy finish.
09 - Chill tarts until ready to serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The custard sets up silky and cloud-light, never heavy or overly sweet.
  • Blood oranges bring a tart brightness that cuts through the richness in the most satisfying way.
  • You can make everything ahead and just assemble before guests arrive, no last-minute panic.
  • These tarts look like they came from a fancy patisserie, but the process is surprisingly forgiving.
02 -
  • Do not skip chilling the dough twice, once after mixing and once after shaping, or your tart shells will shrink and slump in the oven.
  • Whisk the custard constantly once it goes back on the heat, even a few seconds of inattention can give you scrambled eggs instead of silk.
  • Use a sharp knife to slice the oranges and wipe the blade between cuts so each slice stays clean and pretty.
  • If your custard seems thin after cooking, keep whisking over heat for another 30 seconds, it thickens fast once it hits the boiling point.
03 -
  • Freeze your tart shells after shaping them and before baking, frozen dough holds its shape even better and gives you the crispest edges.
  • Add a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest to the custard while it cooks if you want an extra layer of citrus flavor that ties everything together.
  • Brush the insides of your baked shells with a thin layer of melted white chocolate before adding custard, it creates a moisture barrier and keeps them crisp longer.
  • Use a mandoline to slice the blood oranges if you have one, the uniform thickness makes arranging them so much easier and the tarts look almost too perfect to eat.
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