Pie and Pastry Bible (76 page)

This tart is very refreshing but rich and satisfying at the same time. It is a production of complexity but worth every moment of work. The different components can be made ahead over the space of several days. If you want to make a time-saving
compromise, use canned mandarin orange segments instead of peeling, sectioning, and slicing the fresh oranges, the most time-consuming part of this dessert.

My friend Caryl Lee, on first tasting this tart, called to tell me afterward that the taste lasted for three hours! She didn’t want to eat anything more because she didn’t want to lose the taste. There is no testament better than that.

SERVES: 8 TO 10
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
*Or two 15-ounce cans of Mandarin orange segments, drained.
†Either yellow or chocolate. You can replace this with packaged angel food or sponge cake.
Sweet Cookie Tart Crust for a 10-inch tart (page 56), prebaked and cooled	1 generous cup	10.75 ounces	307 grams
4 navel oranges*		2 pounds	1 kg 206 grams
Caramel Syrup Sugar	½ cup	3.5 ounces	100 grams
water	2 tablespoons	1 ounce	30 grams
Cointreau	¼ liquid cup	approx. 2 ounces	61 grams
freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 3 Valencia oranges)	1 liquid cup	8.5 ounces	242 grams
grenadine	2 teaspoons	•	•
Orange Curd Cream One 8½- to 9-inch by ½-inch Light Sponge Cake Layer (page 583)†		•	•
gelatin	1 teaspoon	•	3 grams
water	1 tablespoon	0.5 ounce	15 grams
Bitter Orange Curd (page 569)	1 cup + 2 tablespoons	10.25 ounces	296 grams
heavy cream	½ cup	4 ounces	116 grams

EQUIPMENT

A 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom

Make the dough (page 56). Roll and shape it or press it into the pan and prebake it (see page 252). Let cool.

Advance preparation:
Macerate the oranges for 24 hours and up to 3 days ahead.

Suggested work plan

Day 1:
Make the caramel syrup. Slice and marinate the oranges. Make the cake.

Day 2:
Make the orange curd. Make, roll out, and freeze or chill the crust.

Day 3:
Prebake the crust. Drain the orange slices and make the glaze. Make the orange curd cream. Assemble the tart.

Chill a 4-cup bowl for the orange curd cream.

Using a zester or grater, remove enough of the zest from one of the navel oranges to equal 4 teaspoons. Set this aside, covered, to use for the orange curd.

MAKE THE ORANGE SLICES

Peel the oranges. With a small very sharp paring knife, cut the ends from the 3 navel oranges and cut away all the peel and white pith from the outside of the oranges. Remove the individual sections of oranges by slicing along either side of each membrane, starting at the outside of the orange and ending at the center. Slice each section into slices no thicker than ¼ inch, preferably
inch, working over a nonreactive 4-cup or larger bowl to collect the juice. You should have about 3 cups of sliced orange sections. Carefully, so that they stay whole, place them in the bowl. Set aside.

MAKE THE CARAMEL SYRUP

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and water until all of the sugar is moistened and then bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Stop stirring and continue cooking until the syrup is a deep amber (360°F.). Remove it at once from the heat, preferably to the sink, and, using a long ladle held at arm’s length in case of splattering, slowly pour in the Cointreau. When the liquid stops fizzling, add the orange juice and grenadine. Return it to the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve any hardened syrup. (There will be about 1
cups of syrup.)

Pour the hot syrup over the orange slices. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.

MAKE THE GLAZE

At least 1 hour and up to 2 hours before assembling the tart, drain the liquid from the orange slices into a greased 4-cup heatproof measure, if using a microwave, or a medium saucepan. There will be 1½ to 1¾ cups. Set the orange slices on waxed paper, in a single layer, and leave uncovered.

In the microwave, on high power, reduce the liquid to ½ cup, about 20 minutes, or, if using a saucepan, cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to prevent scorching. The syrup will darken and become full of thick bubbles. Cool completely.

ASSEMBLE THE TART

Have the baked sponge layer ready.

AT LEAST 3 HOURS BEFORE SERVING, MAKE THE ORANGE CURD CREAM

In a small heatproof measuring cup, place the gelatin and water and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Set the cup in a pan of simmering water for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gelatin is dissolved (or microwave on high power for a few seconds, stirring once or twice). Set aside briefly, only while you beat the cream, so that it stays warm, or it will lump when added to the cream.

Place the orange curd in a large bowl. In the chilled mixing bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken and the beater marks begin to appear distinctly. Gradually beat in the warm gelatin mixture and beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. With a wire whisk, immediately fold the whipped cream into the orange curd until uniform in color. (You will have almost 2 cups of orange curd cream.)

Pour the cream into the prebaked pastry crust. With a small angled spatula, spread it evenly in the baked tart shell. Place the cake layer gently on top. Arrange overlapping circles of orange slices on top of the cake, starting at the outside perimeter and having the rounded edge of each slice almost touching the crust. Stir the glaze until smooth and, using a pastry feather or pastry brush, paint the orange slices with the glaze. There will be about 3 tablespoons of glaze left over. Set it aside at room temperature. Refrigerate the tart for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Up to 2 hours before serving time, remove the tart from the refrigerator and apply the remaining glaze. Refrigerate until shortly before serving.

Unmold (page 251) and slice with a sharp thin knife.

STORE

Refrigerated, up to 2 days.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

Heat the Valencia oranges (15 seconds in a microwave or 10 minutes in a low oven) and roll them several times back and forth on a counter, pressing them as you roll, before squeezing to release more juice.

Canned mandarin orange sections can be used in place of the fresh with excellent results. As they sometimes vary in thickness, slice any thicker ones in half to make them uniform.

Fold the whipped cream into the orange curd as soon as it is whipped so that the gelatin, which will begin setting from the cold cream, will incorporate smoothly.