miércoles, 10 de marzo de 2010

Bloody Tarts!


Relax...it’s just a dessert.

Now that blood oranges are on season, we have to really enjoy this time of the year, and take advantage of this beautiful fruit, not only because of its flavour, but also its amazing and psychedelic colour. Today  was a “tart” day... because there times when one fancies a cake, or biscuits, or even a hot pudding, but today was a tart day, and since its sweet time in my blog, and I had some blood oranges, there is nothing better than an orange curd crowned by a lovely touch of meringue, not very sweet, just about..The recipe comes from AWW (Australian Women’s Weekly) now, you can tell I like these books, can’t you? This is an easy recipe, and the orange curd as filling is absolutely delicious. You can use lemons or limes instead, or simply normal oranges.  These tarts are a lovely and spectacular end of a dinner party. If you like the flavour of citrus fruits, this is for you.



Ingredients for the pastry

250 plain flour

150g softened butter

1 teaspoon salt

A pinch of sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon cold milk





Method for the pastry

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease a 12 muffin tin or 12 tartalette individual cases. Mix all the ingredients but the milk, when all is combined add the milk and mix until you get a non sticky and uniform mixture, cover with cling film and refrigerate at least for half hour. Then it’s time to cut the pastry in rounds and pinch the surface with a fork, refrigerate again for half hour. After half and hour, cover with ovenproof paper and fill the tins with baking beans (or you can use any beans or ice instead). Bake only for ten minutes, and keep aside whilst you prepare the filling.



For the filling

½ cup sugar (110g)

2 tablespoon cornflour

2/3 cup blood orange juice

2 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons finely grated blood orange rind

75g unsalted butter, chopped

2 eggs, separated

½ cup sugar, extra




Method

Combine sugar and cornflour in a saucepan, gradually stir in juice and the water until smooth. Cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Reduce heat, simmer for one minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the zest, butter and egg yolks. Cool 10 minutes.

Divide filling among pastry cases. Refrigerate 1 hour.


For the Meringue

Increase temperature to 240 degrees.

Beat egg whites with electric mixer, until soft peaks form, gradually add extra sugar, beating until sugar dissolves. Using star nozzle, pipe meringue over filling. Bake about 3 minutes or until browned lightly.





17 comentarios:

  1. These pictures are incredible! You are so talented.

    What a unique dessert - it's making me hungryyy!

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  2. lovely tarts--the meringue swirlies are so pretty! and blood orange does make a most delicious curd!

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  3. The tarts look so precious with their burnished top hat...would love to taste blood oranges but we can't get them over here...

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  4. Qué bonitas! Y me encantan las fotos.

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  5. Sounds lovely- especially love the color of the blood orange.

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  6. lovely tarts! i love blood oranges

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  7. These tarts are beautiful! And the filling sounds divine. Blood oranges are so dramatic!

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  8. Ah, such gorgeous tarts. I love the stand too.

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  9. it's a work of art! You're so skillful in shaping the mini pastry (I did it before and never accomplish that beaaiful shape!!)... your tartlets are too pretty to eat!
    un besote

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  10. These little tarts with blood orange sound amazing, so gorgeous with meringue!

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  11. what a lovely idea using blood orange for the tarts! they look scrumptious!

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  12. The photography is stunning! I felt like I was looking at a Donna Hay magazine!even better..
    I have never tried making a curd out of blood oranges what a fabulous idea. Love that swirly tower of babel meringue on top.

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  13. Quietly serene, and soooo inviting! A must try!
    You have a great aesthetic eye!

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  14. Those look very pretty and promising! I bet that blood orange filling is to die for!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  15. I am so pleased to have found your blog (through your link on Bitten). Tu y yo somos parecidas, pero al revés: yo, inglesa, vivia en San Sebastian (Guipuzcoa). Ahora vivo en EEUU. I mix the "cuisines" of each of these countries. Your little curd tarts look great. I have added this blog to my "favorites". Un saludo.

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  16. These must taste amazing! Blood oranges are so juicy and delicious yum.

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  17. Awesome recipe.
    The blood oranges must make these tarts so special x

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