Blood Orange Tarts (Printable version)

Crisp tart shells filled with vanilla custard and topped with vibrant, tangy blood orange segments.

# What You’ll 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

# Directions:

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 refrigerate 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. 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 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 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. Refrigerate tarts until ready to serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The custard is silky and forgiving, thickening beautifully without the risk of scrambling if you keep your whisk moving.
  • These tarts look like they came from a pastry shop window but require nothing more than patience and a food processor.
  • You can make every component ahead, then assemble in minutes when guests arrive.
  • The contrast between buttery crust, creamy vanilla, and tart citrus is the kind of balance that makes people go quiet for a moment.
02 -
  • Don't skip the second chill before baking the tart shells or they'll shrink and lose their shape in the oven.
  • Whisk the custard constantly once it's back on the heat, especially around the edges where it can scorch in seconds.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the custard's surface while it cools to avoid that rubbery skin forming on top.
  • Assemble the tarts as close to serving time as possible so the crust stays crisp and doesn't get soggy from the custard.
03 -
  • Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the blood oranges cleanly without squashing them or tearing the flesh.
  • If your custard seems too thick after chilling, whisk in a teaspoon of milk at a time until it's smooth and spoonable again.
  • Keep a damp towel under your cutting board when rolling out the dough so it doesn't slide around on the counter.
  • Taste your blood oranges before arranging them, if they're very tart, a light brush of honey glaze will balance the flavor beautifully.
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