Blood Orange Tarts (Print Version)

Crisp tarts with vanilla custard and vibrant blood orange segments. Perfect make-ahead French 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

# 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, 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. Chill for 20 minutes.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line tart shells with parchment 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, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla 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 oranges for a glossy finish.
09 - Refrigerate tarts until ready to serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The buttery tart shell shatters perfectly under your fork, giving way to cool, velvety custard that tastes like vanilla clouds.
  • Blood oranges bring a pop of color and a sweet-tart brightness that cuts through the richness without any fuss.
  • You can make everything ahead and assemble right before guests arrive, so you actually get to enjoy your own party.
  • It looks wildly impressive but uses basic techniques anyone can master with a little patience.
02 -
  • Always chill your tart dough twice, once after mixing and once after shaping, or the shells will shrink and lose their shape in the oven.
  • Whisk the custard constantly while it cooks, even a few seconds of distraction can leave you with scrambled eggs instead of silky cream.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the custard surface while it cools to avoid that rubbery skin nobody wants to peel off later.
03 -
  • Freeze your tart pans for 10 minutes before baking if the dough feels too soft, it helps prevent slumping.
  • Use a pastry brush dipped in beaten egg white to seal any cracks in the baked shells before adding custard, it keeps them crisp longer.
  • Slice the blood oranges with a very sharp knife to get clean edges, and pat them dry with a towel so excess juice does not make the custard watery.
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