Zesty Orange & Apple Tart

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

• Apples. For the filling, it’s best to choose firm varieties that won’t turn into mush during baking. My personal favorites for this tart are Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or Braeburn—they hold their shape beautifully while releasing just the right amount of juice. Golden Delicious also works well if you prefer a sweeter profile. I’d recommend staying away from Granny Smith for this particular recipe, as they might remain a bit too firm and tart.
  An average apple weighs about 200g (approx. 7 oz) whole.
  
• Oranges. Choose the sweetest, juiciest oranges you can find. Navel oranges are the best fit for this recipe—you can easily spot them by the characteristic “belly button” at the base.
  Average weight – approximately 250g (9 oz) with the peel.
• Cornstarch. As with most pastry work, I highly recommend using cornstarch. It thickens the filling smoothly and predictably, without any lumps or aftertaste. If you must substitute it with potato starch, use only half the weight (50%) of what the recipe calls for.
• Sugar. For the dough use powdered sugar. It creates a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. While fine granulated sugar technically works, the crust will be crunchier and more textured.
  For the filling regular granulated white sugar works perfectly.
• Flour. For the perfect Pâte Sucrée, use either all-purpose flour (around 10% protein) or cake flour (8-9% protein). The lower the protein content, the more tender and crumbly your crust will be. Definitely avoid high-protein bread flour!
• Butter. Use high-quality unsalted butter with at least 80-82% fat content.
• Eggs. The recipe is based on a medium egg, which is approximately 50-55g without the shell.

Let’s start cooking!

To make the dough, combine the flour and diced cold butter in a food processor. Process until the mixture forms fine, fatty crumbs.

Then, add the powdered sugar and egg. Beat again until the dough comes together.

If the dough remains crumbly, add a couple spoonfuls of ice-cold water.

Divide the dough into 2 parts, one slightly smaller than the other. Form disks with the dough, wrap them in plastic wrap (I put them in a plastic bag).

Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.

Prepare the filling. Peel the oranges and remove the white part from the center. Process the rest in a food processor until it is a coarse purée.

Separate about 1/5 of the purée and mix it with the cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.

Peel and core the apples. Cut them into 1 cm cubes.

Pour most of the orange purée into a saucepan, add sugar, and place it on the stove. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

Then, while stirring constantly, pour in the remaining orange purée with starch. Cook, stirring vigorously with a whisk, until the mixture thickens and clears.

Add the apples and stir. Remove from heat.

Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. Roll out the largest piece of dough into a sheet – it is easiest to do this between sheets of parchment paper.

Place it in a tart pan, preferably one with a removable bottom. Remove the excess dough from the top.

Place the filling in the dough base.

Grate the remaining dough on a coarse grater over the filling.

Place the tart in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove the finished tart from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan.

Enjoy!

This Zesty Orange & Apple Tart recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
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