Tangerine and Almond Shortbread Tart
by lorigoldsby
This tart reminded us of a big, chewy, fragrant Florentine cookie — tucked into a rich, buttery crust. At first, we wondered whether we”d be able to detect the citrus amidst all the caramel, almonds and butter, but lorigoldsby”s technique of applying judicious amounts of juice or zest to all of the components ensures a decidedly tangerine-flavored tart. The press-in shortbread crust is a snap, and don”t be intimidated by the huge pile of almonds you”re instructed to toast — they fit perfectly inside our 10-inch tart shell. – A&M
My husband isn”t much of a dessert lover, so I have to create recipes that pack a lot of flavor but are not overly sweet. I find the texture of the tart reminds me of a cookie and the filling is a honey caramel that I love. – lorigoldsby
Serves 12
2 tangerines
1 3/4 cup AP flour
1/3 cup confectioners” sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup orange blossom honey
1 cup extra heavy whipping cream
3 cups toasted sliced almonds
Zest 2 tangerines and ream to extract juice. Chill the juice.
Line the bottom of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable base with buttered parchment paper
Pulse the flour, confectioners” sugar, salt, butter and tangerine zest in a food processor. Add tangerine juice by tablespoon(s) as needed until it looks like wet sand. Pulse just until it starts to form a ball.
Pat the dough into the tart pan, being careful to press up and into the sides.
Chill the crust for one hour (can chill up to 4 hours).
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the superfine sugar, brown sugar, honey and 2 teaspoons of the reserved tangerine juice. Allow the sugars and honey to melt together over medium-low heat, swirling gently. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture darkens and caramelizes. (Tip: You can use leftover tangerine juice mixed with some warm water to brush down the insides of the pan while you are waiting for the mixture to caramelize.)
Add the cream and increase the heat to medium. Cook the mixture at a low boil for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is richly caramelized and thick.
Stir in the almonds and spread the mixture into the chilled tart pan.
Bake for 30 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 bake for another 15 minutes, or until the crust is richly browned.
Cool completely, remove the bottom from the pan and using a long-bladed spatula, transfer the tart to a cake stand.
Optional: Serve with sweetened whipped cream (1 cup heavy whipped cream, 2 tablespoons vanilla, 1/4 cup superfine sugar) and a mint garnish.