Cointreau Orange Tart

Preparation Time: 35 minutes plus 30 refrigerating Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8

Can be prepared in advance

Cointreau Orange Tart I like to support Israel whenever I can and consequently like to make this citrus pie using Jaffe oranges. Today the city of Jaffe is an old fishing harbour with modern boats, art galleries and museums as well as a major tourist attraction and moreover it is noted for its export of the famous Jaffe oranges. Jaffe oranges are oval shape with a sweet flavour and strong aroma.
This is an impressive refreshing tangy dessert and although a little time consuming is well worth the effort. It has a creamy orange filling with an orange flavoured pastry.
On a health note, Oranges are rich in vitamin C; one orange supplies a person’s daily need. They are also a source of dietary fibre and supply folate as well as the minerals, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Ingredients

Method

For the pastry crust
1) Make the pastry crust by mixing all the ingredients into a food processor until well combined. Remove from the food processor, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2) Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
-2- Cointreau Orange Tarte
3) Roll out the pastry to fit a deep 9 inch loose –bottom pie tin.
( Any spare pastry dough can be used to line another small tart tin or frozen until required.)
4) Bake blind by covering the pastry dough with aluminium foil and inserting baking beans.
5) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
6) Remove the foil and the baking beans and glaze the pastry crust with the yolk of 1 egg and return to the oven for 5 minutes until golden.
(The tart can be made to this stage up to 2 days in advance.)

For the Custard Filling
1) Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until smooth and creamy.
2) Add the heavy cream, Cointreau ,orange juice, and zest and mix thoroughly until well combined.
3) Pour in to the cooked pastry crust base.
4) Lower the oven temperature to 350ºF.
5) Bake for 40 minutes.
6) Cool completely before placing in the refrigerator to set.
(The tart can be made to this stage up to 1 day in advance.)

To Prepare the Orange Topping
1) Plunge the oranges into boiling water for 2 minutes. (This helps to release the skin from the orange.)
2) Using a small sharp knife remove the skin from all 3 oranges. Slice 2 of them in to very thin rounds and the third orange in to segments. Drain well on absorbent paper before arranging them in neat circular rows on top of the pie.
3) Heat the apricot jelly with the Cointreau and very carefully and sieve the jelly if there are any bits of fruit before brushing the oranges. This will complete the tart with a wonderful glaze.

Leave in the refrigerator up to 4 hours before serving.

For more details about my recipes or my cookery book, The Book of Jewish Cooking published by Salamander Books ($12.00) please log in to www.jewishcookery.com