Orange Tart

Photo: flickr user jm3

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 stk cold unsalted butter, cut into bits (1/2 cup)

1 lrg Egg, beaten lightly

2 tablespoons Ice water

6 Egg yolks

1 cup Fresh orange juice, (about 1 pound oranges), half the peel grated and the othe

3 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice, (about I lemon), peel cut into strips

1/2 cup Sugar, or to taste

1 stk unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup Well-chilled heavy cream, whipped

6 Naval oranges, peeled, pith removed and cut into sections

1/2 cup Apricot preserves, strained

1 tablespoon Orange-favored liqueur, up to 2

Candied violets for garnish, if desired

Preparation

Make the pastry: In a large bowl with a pastry blender blend the flour, sugar, salt and butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the egg and water, toss the mixture until liquid is incorporated, and dough forms into a ball. Knead the dough lightly with the heel of your hand against a smooth surface for a few seconds to distribute the fat evenly and forms it into a ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in plastic, for 1 hour.

Make the orange curd: In the top of a double boiler combine the yolks, orange juice, strips of orange peel, lemon juice, strips of lemon peel, and the sugar and whisk the mixture over simmering water until wisps of stream appear and it comes just to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Strain the curd into a bowl and stir in the grated orange rind. Cover the curd with a buttered round of wax paper and let it cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the dough into a round 1/8-inch thick and fit it into a 9-inch fluted tart pan. Prick the bottom with a fork.

Line pie shell with wax paper or foil, add pie weights, dried beans or rice and blind-bake the tart shell on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes.

Carefully remove the paper and weights and bake for 5 to 8 minutes more, or until lightly colored. Cool on a rack.

Assemble the tart: Smooth a layer of curd into the tart, top with concentric circles of the orange sections.

Glaze: In a small saucepan combine the apricot preserves and the orange-flavored liqueur. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until thick. Let cool 5 minutes and spoon glaze over tart. Garnish with candied violets, if desired.

Yield: 1 9-inch tart

Recommended Wine: Bonny Doon Vin de Glaciere Orange Muscat