Tangerine cream tart. Chocolate cookie crumb crust and a creamy tangerine filling. The creamy tangerine filling features fresh juice and fresh zest. This tart is perfect for a brunch, simple and unadorned comfort food; or for sharing at a dinner party. Excellent at room temperature, chilled or frozen.
As the temperatures here in San Diego have been ridiculously hot for the past few weeks, I’ve been using the oven as little as possible, if at all. When I do, I’ve been getting my baking done early in the morning.
While this tart requires no baking, I chose to use a modified version of these mocha chocolate cookies for my cookie crumb crust. I substituted vanilla bean paste for the espresso powder and omitted the caramel pieces. Baked off 12 cookies and used 8 for the crust. The remaining four went missing. Any chocolate cookie or wafer will do. They need to be lightly moistened with melted butter and packed tight in the tart pan before the crust is baked. Some cookies are drier than others, so be aware and adjust melted butter up or down a teaspoon or so at a time until the crumbs stay together when squeezed or pressed.
The tangerine cream filling is fairly straightforward in its preparation. I use agar agar powder to firm the tart, but its use is optional.
Why You Should Make This Tart
- the cookie crumb crust is simple to prepare.
- the chocolate + tangerine combo is delicious.
- the tart can be served at room temp, chilled or frozen.
- perfect as a casual or elegant dessert offering.
How To Make This Tangerine Cream Tart
Chocolate cookie wafers are processed in a food processor to fine crumbs. Melted butter is added to the food processor and pulsed until well combined.
The cookie crumb mix is pressed into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan. I use my hands to get a fairly even spread across the bottom, and a flat bottom drinking glass to press the crumbs tightly into the pan.
An 11-inch parchment paper circle is laid over the tart crust. I like to crinkle the parchment and then place it over the tart crust. It works better when I fill the parchment with pie weights, uncooked rice, or dried beans. Crinkling the parchment allows the pie weights to get snug up against the sides when the weights are added.
The crust is baked for 15 minutes or so in a preheated oven. The crust is cooled completely before filling.
Four or five tangerines are juiced and zested. The fresh tangerine juice is simmered with a little agar agar powder. The powder helps to set the tart and make it a slightly firmer when cutting. The agar agar is optional.
Eggs, cornstarch, sugar and fresh tangerine zest are whisked to combine. The egg mixture is tempered with the hot juice, and then the entire mixture is returned to the stove top briefly just until it begins to thicken. The cream is removed from the stove top, cooled slightly and poured into the baked crust.
The tart is chilled until set, a couple of hours. The tart can be eaten at room temp, chilled, or even frozen.
Other Tart Recipes You Might Enjoy
Some of out most popular tart recipes include orange tart, chocolate cherry tart, apple cider tart, and lemon mascarpone tart.
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Tangerine Cream Tart
Equipment
- 1 (9-inch) round removable bottom tart pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust:
- 350 grams chocolate cookie wafers (2 cups)
- 28 grams unsalted butter (2 tablespoons), melted
Tangerine Cream:
- 65 grams granulated sugar (1/3 cup), blended
- 28 grams cornstarch (1/4 cup), sifted
- 18 grams fresh tangerine or orange zest (3 tablespoons)
- 300 grams egg (6 large)
- 240 grams fresh tangerine or orange juice (1 cup)
- 1 gram agar agar powder (1/2 teaspoon), optional
- 170 grams unsalted butter (3/4 cup or 12 tablespoons), room temperature
Instructions
Chocolate Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add chocolate cookies to food processor. Pulse until cookies are fine crumbs.
- Add melted butter and pulse until well combined.
- Press crumbs into the bottom and sides of 9-inch removable bottom tart pan.
- Line bottom and sides of crust with crinkled piece of parchment paper. Fill parchment with pie weights, uncooked rice, or dried beans.
- Bake tart crust in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Carefully remove parchment paper and baking weights. Cool completely on wire rack.
Tangerine Cream:
- Add blended sugar, cornstarch, fresh tangerine zest, and 6 eggs to medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add fresh tangerine juice to small saucepan. Heat until edges of pan begin to bubble. Add agar agar powder to saucepan, if using. Stirring frequently, lightly boil for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes. (Optionally, transfer the juice from the saucepan to a pourable jug).
- Slowly drizzle tangerine juice mixture into egg mixture while constantly whisking. Once the juice has been added, transfer the mixture to the saucepan and return to the heat.
- Heat over low heat just until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Transfer the tangerine cream into the baked tart crust and spread evenly with a small offset spatula or the back of a tablespoon.
- Chill for several hours to set. Garnish with grated chocolate, if desired.
- Store in refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.
