Difference between revisions of "Bitter Orange"

Beat the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl until creamy, then beat in two egg yolks, one at a time, until fully incorporated.

Mix in the flour and a pinch of salt until the mixture comes together in a ball. Tip out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly until it’s completely smooth (don’t overwork it).

Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Meanwhile, for the roast oranges, layer up the orange slices in a smallish gratin dish. Pour on the orange juice and sprinkle with the 2 tbsp of the sugar. Cover with foil and bake for an hour, or until the peel is soft.

When the pastry has chilled for 30 minutes, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3mm and use it to line a 22cm tart tin with a removable base. Let the pastry hang over the edges (you’ll trim it later).

Prick the base with the tines of a fork. Put in the freezer to chill for an hour. Keep the surplus pastry.

Once an hour is up for the roast orange slices, remove the foil, transfer the slices to a roasting tin in a single layer, sprinkle with the rest of the sugar and put into the oven for another 40 minutes until almost all of the juice has evaporated and the slices are sticky and slightly singed.

Add a little more sugar if they aren’t singeing, but don’t take them too far otherwise they’ll become tough. Once done, leave them to cool.

Meanwhile for the filling whisk the orange juice and sugar together to help the sugar dissolve. Add the rest of the ingredients and set aside.

Fill the pastry case with crumpled greaseproof paper and with baking beans (or dried pulses). Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and cook for a further 5 minutes.

If there are any cracks in the pastry fill them in with the leftover pastry – it’s important that there are no holes or the filling will run out.

Carefully trim the excess pastry from round the edges with a sharp knife. Brush the inside of the case with the remaining egg yolk mixed with a little milk. Put it back into the oven for a couple of minutes – this seals it so the custard doesn’t make it soggy. Leave to cool.  

:Turn the oven down to 160C/gas mark 3.

Wait until it has reached this temperature then pour the filling into the tart case and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. The top should seem set but still be slightly wobbly in the middle, as it will continue to cook once it has come out. Leave to cool completely and top with the roasted orange slices.