Blood Orange Tarts with Custard (Printable version)

Crisp shells filled with vanilla custard and topped with vibrant, tangy blood orange segments for an elegant treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 Steps:

01 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter cubes 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 refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
03 - Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough to fit six 4-inch tart pans. Press dough into pans and trim excess. Refrigerate 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 for 5 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
05 - In a medium saucepan, heat milk until steaming. In a bowl, whisk together 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, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and butter.
06 - Transfer custard to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 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 orange slices for a glossy finish.
09 - Refrigerate assembled tarts until ready to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crimson color of blood oranges makes these tarts look like they came from a French patisserie, but the process is forgiving enough for a weeknight experiment.
  • The custard tastes like the kind you remember from childhood, silky and gentle, with just enough vanilla to make you close your eyes when you taste it.
  • You can make every component ahead and assemble them an hour before guests arrive, so you get to actually enjoy your own dinner party.
02 -
  • If your custard looks like it might curdle while you're cooking it, pull it off the heat immediately and whisk hard, it usually smooths back out if you catch it in time.
  • Don't skip the second chilling step for the tart shells, warm dough shrinks and slumps in the oven, and you'll end up with wonky edges.
  • Blood oranges can vary wildly in sweetness, so taste a slice before arranging them and consider the optional honey glaze if they're more tart than you expected.
03 -
  • Freeze your tart pans for 10 minutes before blind baking if you're worried about shrinkage, the extra cold helps the dough hold its shape even better.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice the blood oranges and you'll get cleaner edges without squashing the segments.
  • If your custard feels too thick after chilling, whisk in a teaspoon of milk at a time until it loosens to a spoonable consistency.
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