Sweeter than the common orange, tangerine juice imparts elevated citrus flavor to our creamy filling, while fresh basil adds an earthy, herbal undertone. Get more tart recipes in our Artisan Pies & Tarts Special Issue!
Tangerine Tart
Makes 1 (9-inch) tart
Ingredients
- Basil Macadamia Dough (recipe below)
- 1½ cups (360 grams) fresh tangerine juice
- ¼ cup (8 grams) chopped fresh basil
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (42 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs (200 grams)
- ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (2 grams) loosely packed tangerine zest
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- Brown Sugar Whipped Cream (recipe below)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
- Press Basil Macadamia Dough into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan. Top with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of pan. Add pie weights.
- Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake until light golden brown and firm, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan, bring tangerine juice and basil to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, and let stand for 15 minutes. Strain mixture, discarding solids, and return juice to pan.
- Add sugar and flour to pan, whisking to combine. Whisk in eggs, milk, and zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in butter until melted. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Pour into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate overnight. Top with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream, if desired.
Basil Macadamia Dough
Makes 1 (9-inch) crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup (96 grams) finely ground toasted macadamia nuts
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (1 gram) chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg yolk (19 grams)
Instructions
- In the work bowl of a food processor, place macadamia nuts, sugar, basil, and salt; pulse until combined. Add flour, and pulse until finely ground.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat nut mixture, butter, and egg yolk at medium speed until combined. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before using.
Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
Makes about 1½ cups
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (180 grams) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream, brown sugar, and salt at high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Can I use walnut or almond instead of macadamia nuts?
Hi Shoba,
Yes, you can use a different kind of nut for the recipe, but please keep in mind that we developed this cake specifically with the macadamia nut. We cannot guarantee the results if baked with another nut. Happy Baking and Thank you!
Can you give instructions for the topping into the photo? It doesn’t look like brown sugar whipped cream…..
Hi Diane!
Thanks for reaching out! The whipped cream incorporates only 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, so you will get more molasses flavor, but the color changes only slightly. To pipe the decoration, use a petal tip, such as a Wilton 104 tip, and hold the larger end against the tart filling (the skinnier end points to the sky) while piping in a slight arc. It is a similar motion if you were to make a rose petal. Continue in rows until you have finished the pie.
Can this tart be made without the basil?
Hi Amy,
Thank you for your question! This tart can absolutely be made without basil. You could even try substituting another fresh herb if you still want some herby flavor (I could see fresh rosemary being a delicious twist, and you probably wouldn’t need very much of it).
Hope this helps, and happy baking!