Pomegranate Curd and Orange Tarts
Chocolate tart shells filled with pomegranate curd and orange-infused butter, these beautiful little tarts are rich with the flavors and colors of fall.
Servings 6 tartlets, or one 9-inch tart
Ingredients
Tart Shell
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
Pomegranate Curd
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp orange or orange-spice loose tea, about 2 to 3 teabags
- 1 cup fresh pomegranate juice
- Zest and of one lemon
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 egg yolks, well beaten with the whole egg
- 1 whole egg, well beaten with the egg yolks
- 1/4 tsp fine salt, preferably sea salt
- 1 to 2 drops of red food coloring (optional)
- Pomegranate arils and orange zest, for garnish
Chocolate Ganache (optional)
- 5 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Zest of one orange
Instructions
Tart Shell
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, blend AP flour with the butter, sugar, cocoa, almond flour, and salt, on medium speed. Add the egg and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Tip the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a 6-inch disk. Wrap the dough in the plastic and freeze for 15 minutes, until firm.
- Remove the dough from freezer and let sit for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Cut into six equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate all but one ball.
- Working one at a time, roll out each ball into a six-inch circle between layers of plastic wrap. Carefully transfer the rolled out dough to a mini tart pan. Ease dough into the corners and press gently against the sides of the pan. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to remove excess dough and use scraps to patch any tears.
- Continue with the other tarts, then freeze all in their pans for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Set the tarts on a baking sheet and line each shell with foil or parchment squares. Fill with pie weights (rice, beans, ceramic beads, or whatever you use). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until foil doesn’t stick to crusts. Remove the liners and weights and bake until the shell is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.
- Transfer to rack and let cool.
Pomegranate Curd
- Melt butter over low heat and add the orange or orange-spice tea. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let steep another five minutes.
- Strain infused butter through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the tea with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate infused butter, or set aside, until it solidifies again.
- Whisk together the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, lemon zest and cornstarch in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir gently until it dissolves.
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the beaten eggs and yolks, salt, and infused butter.*
- Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 170°F or thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. The curd may be more of a pink or mauve color – you can add a drop or two of red food coloring to deepen the color, if desired. Or use a spiced tea that includes dried hibiscus, which will help preserve the natural pomegranate red.
- Pour the pomegranate curd into the prepared tart shells and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Chill the tarts in the refrigerator for one hour to firm up.
- Garnish with pomegranate arils and orange zest, or drizzle with ganache.
Chocolate Ganache (optional)
- Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.
- In a saucepan, heat heavy cream and orange zest to piping hot. When barely boiling, pour cream through a sieve over the chopped chocolate and let sit for one minute. Gently stir from the center in circles, moving towards the sides, with a rubber spatula, until mixture is emulsified and chocolate is melted, about two minutes. Let cool.
- When tarts and chocolate are both cool, drizzle or otherwise decorate with the ganache and pomegranate arils.