Caramelised Blood Orange Tart with Creme Fraiche

This is our version of the classic caramelised lemon tart. The blood orange custard is best prepared the day before to allow an adequate infusion time.

Recipe yields twelve portions
Preparation time one hour
Allow a few hours resting time for pastry
Infusion time overnight
Cooking time forty five minutes

Ingredients

For the sweet pastry

• 250g Flour
• 100g Cold butter - diced
• 100g Icing sugar - sifted
• Small pinch of salt
• 2 Whole Eggs - at room temperature
• 1 kg Dried kidney beans or rice - to use as a weight when blind baking the tart.
• 2 Egg yolks - mix together

For the blood orange tart

• 9 Whole Eggs
• 300g Sugar
• 3 Blood orange - zest
• 200ml Blood orange juice
• 300ml Thickened cream

To serve

• 200ml Crème fraiche
• 100ml Thickened cream
• 1 tsp Icing sugar
• 2 Blood oranges - segments
• 150g Castor sugar – for caramelising

Method

For the blood orange tart mix

Whisk the eggs and sugar together.

Zest the fruit over the egg mix to capture the spray and oils, mix in with the juice.

Whisk in the cream. Leave to infuse overnight.

For the sweet pastry

Sift the flour onto your work surface and make a well in the centre.
Add the butter and work it with your fingertips until very fine and fully incorporated.

Add the icing sugar and salt, mix well, then add the eggs and mix again.
Gradually draw the flour into the mixture to make a homogeneous paste.
Knead the paste two or three times with the heel of your hand until very smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for a few hours before using.

For lining and baking the tart

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.

Place your flan ring on greaseproof paper on a baker’s tray.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a circle about 2 mm thick.

Roll the pastry around the rolling pin, and then unroll it over the flan ring so as not to spoil the shape. Line the ring with the pastry and pinch up the edges with your fingertips to make an even border standing above the top of the ring.

Now place in the fridge and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes.
Once rested, remove the tart from the fridge. Check there are no holes in the pastry.

Line the tart with a cartouche and fill with beans or rice.

Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 10 –15 minutes until golden and crisp all over. Turn the tart a few times during cooking to ensure even cooking.

Remove the cartouche and beans.

Brush lightly with the egg yolk mix. Bake for two more minutes to set. This will seal any tiny holes and prevent custard seepage. Remove and allow to cool.

To cook the tart

Turn your oven down to 145°C.

Pass the mix through a fine chinoise.

Pour into the tart mould and place into the pre-heated oven and bake for about forty-five minutes, until the custard just begins to set.

Remove from the oven and rest for about an hour at room temperature to help further set and stabilise the delicate custard.

To serve

Whisk together the two creams with the icing sugar to firm peaks.

Slice the tart into twelve portions. Sprinkle with the sugar and caramelise with a blow torch until dark brown.

Place on serving plates with quenelles of cream, and a few segments of blood orange. Serve immediately.

Suggested wines to complement this recipe

Dessert Wine

Brown Brothers Special Late Harvested Orange Muscat & Flora 2006

Brown Brothers Zibibbo 2006