Blood Orange Tarts with Custard (Printable Version)

Crisp tart shells with vanilla custard and vibrant blood orange segments—an elegant make-ahead dessert.

# 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 to 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 to 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, 2 to 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 orange slices for a glossy finish.
09 - Chill assembled tarts until ready to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tart shells stay perfectly crisp even after chilling, giving you that satisfying crunch with every bite.
  • The custard is silky and not too sweet, letting the tangy blood oranges shine without fighting for attention.
  • These look like they came from a French patisserie but are surprisingly forgiving to make at home.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble right before guests arrive, which saved me more than once.
02 -
  • Don't skip chilling the dough twice, I rushed it once and the shells shrank so much they looked like tiny hats.
  • Whisk the custard constantly while it cooks or you'll end up with sweet scrambled eggs, which I did my first try.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the custard surface while it cools or you'll get a thick skin that ruins the silky texture.
  • Use a sharp knife to slice the blood oranges thinly so they lay flat and look elegant instead of chunky.
03 -
  • Freeze the rolled-out tart shells for 10 minutes before blind baking if you're worried about shrinkage, it really works.
  • Add a teaspoon of blood orange zest to the custard for an extra layer of citrus flavor that surprises people.
  • Use a mandoline to slice the oranges paper-thin for a more delicate, professional look on top.
  • If your custard seems too thick after chilling, whisk in a teaspoon of milk to loosen it before filling the shells.
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