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blood orange tart with mascarpone whipped cream
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Blood Orange Tart with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

This beautiful blood orange tart with a chocolate crust and mascarpone whipped cream is a make-ahead marvel for your dessert table. The crust, blood orange curd, and whipped cream are all made from scratch.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian, American
Keyword blood orange curd, chocolate pie crust, chocolate tart crust
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

BLOOD ORANGE CURD INGREDIENTS

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp blood orange zest (from 1-2 oranges)
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp blood orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 3 eggs
  • one drop red food coloring (optional)

CHOCOLATE TART CRUST INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into thin pats
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream

MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp blood orange zest
  • pinch or two of ground cinnamon

Instructions

BLOOD ORANGE CURD PREP INSTRUCTIONS

  • Cut 6 tbsp butter into cubes and place in fridge.
  • Add ¾ cup sugar to a medium saucepan.
  • Zest the oranges and add the blood orange zest to the sugar in the saucepan. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers, then set aside.
  • Juice your oranges. Whisk the cornstarch into the freshly squeezed blood orange juice.
  • Whisk eggs and zested sugar together in a medium saucepan for two minutes, until light and creamy. 
  • Stir the cornstarch and juice mixture to the saucepan.

BLOOD ORANGE CURD COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

  • Heat saucepan over medium-low heat and bring mixture to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Let curd mixture simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until it’s thickened and coats the back of the spoon. You should be able to swipe your finger across the back of the spoon (careful! hot!) and leave a trail.
  • Strain the blood orange curd through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl.
  • Whisk the cold, cubed butter into the curd, a few cubes at a time, allowing each cube to melt completely before adding more.
  • Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp of orange juice into the blood orange curd.
  • If desired, whisk in one drop of red food coloring until it’s completely incorporated and no red streaks remain in the curd.
  • Let blood orange curd cool to room temperature while you make the rest of the Blood Orange Tart.

CHOCOLATE TART CRUST PREP INSTRUCTIONS

  • Slice 1 cup butter into thin pats. Set aside.
  • Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Discard egg whites or save for another use. Set egg yolks aside.
  • Cut a piece of plastic wrap and place it on your work surface. Have a second piece of plastic wrap at the ready.

CHOCOLATE TART CRUST BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

  • Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ½ cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl of a stand-mixer.
  • Use your hands to massage the pats of butter into the flour mixture until large crumbles form.
  • Secure the bowl into your stand-mixer that’s fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed for a few seconds to bring the dough together.
  • Add the egg yolks and beat on slowest speed until completely incorporated.
  • Beat in the 2 tsp vanilla extract and the 1tbsp heavy cream.
  • Turn off your mixer and scrap the dough onto one of the prepared pieces of plastic wrap. Place the second piece of wrap over the dough. Pat the dough into 1”-thick disc.
  • Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE TART CRUST -- ROLLING OUT THE DOUGH INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 325F.
  • Spray an 8” fluted tart pan with baking spray and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Sprinkle some cocoa powder on your work surface and on your rolling pin. Unwrap the tart dough disc and place it on the powdered work surface.
  • Begin rolling out the dough into a large circle that’s larger than the 8” tart pan and about ¼-inch thick. If the dough starts to stick to your work surface, dust it very lightly with cocoa powder. There should be a good amount of extra dough that will hang over the sides of the pan.
  • Carefully place the dough over the prepared tart pan. Use your knuckles (or a clean glass) to gently press the dough into the bottom and the fluted edges of the pan, taking care not to stretch and tear the dough.
  • Take the dough hanging over the edges of the pan and fold it over the inside of the tart pan. Gently press the extra dough against the dough already lining the edges of the pan. Make sure that the crust is the same thickness around the entire pan and along the bottom of the pan. This double layer will help make the sides of the tart sturdy once it bakes.
  • Use a sharp knife to trim the excess dough off the top edges of the tart pan so you have an even crust lining the pan.
  • Chill the tart crust on the prepared baking sheet in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.

BLOOD ORANGE TART BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

  • Remove tart crust and baking sheet from fridge. Poke small holes along the bottom and sides of the tart crust with a thin knife.
  • Line the tart crust with crumpled parchment paper. Fill the cavity with baking beans or pie weights, spreading them out to the edges of the pan.
  • Blind bake the chocolate tart crust at 325F for 25-30 minutes, or until the parchment no longer sticks to the crust when you start to pull it away.
  • Remove the tart pan from the oven. Carefully remove the parchment and beans, then return the tart crust to the oven and bake it for another 10 minutes, or until the crust no longer looks wet. 
  • Remove the tart crust from the oven to a cooling rack. Let crust cool 10-15 minutes, then pour the room temperature blood orange curd into the tart crust.
  • Smooth the blood orange curd into an even layer, then place the tart pan back in the oven to bake at 325F for another15-20 minutes, or until the curd is mostly set and barely jiggling.
  • Remove Blood Orange Tart from the oven and let cool on wire rack completely before decorating and serving. Serve Tart chilled or at room temperature with Mascarpone Whipped Cream.

MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM INSTRUCTIONS

  • While the Blood Orange Tart is baking, make the Mascarpone Whipped Cream: Fit your stand-mixer with the whisk attachment and a large bowl.
  • Pour the 1 cup heavy cream and powdered sugar into the bowl and whip until frothy.
  • Add the mascarpone cheese, orange zest, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to the bowl, then whip the cream until thick. Serve Mascarpone Whipped Cream along or on top of Blood Orange Tart.