If there is a dessert on a restaurant menu that has lemon or citrus in it then it is a dessert that I will end up ordering. I am obsessed with lemon curd. So, when I received some gorgeous Cara Cara oranges and grapefruit in my Imperfect Produce order I knew I needed to make some sort of curd-like dessert. I combined my favorite sugar/shortbread cookie recipe with a bright and tasty citrus curd and made these delightful mini-tarts.
This post is in partnership with Imperfect Produce. All opinions are my own. Imperfect Produce is a delivery company that sources “ugly” produce straight from the farm and delivers it to your door at 30-50% less than grocery store prices.
I hate to even admit this… but, this might have pushed lemon crud off the top of the list of dessert favorites! The grapefruit and oranges made a bright flavor that wasn’t quite as tart as a lemon. You can absolutely make this in a large tart pan, but I made mine in my favorite mini tart pans (affiliate link).
Citrus Tarts
Ingredients for the crust:
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2.5 cups flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Directions for the crust:
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer. Add in the vanilla, egg, salt, and flour slowly until all incorporated.
- Shape the mixture into a ball of dough.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Roll out the dough about 3/4 inch thickness
- Cut into circles and place into the mini tart pans
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 12 minutes or until dough is just ever so slightly browned. Let cool before putting in citrus curd.
Ingredients for the citrus curd:
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of 2 grapefruit and 2 oranges (approximately half a cup)- I use my Microplane (affiliate link) to zest my citrus
- 1/2 cup grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 4 eggs
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 tsp salt
- candy thermometer (affiliate link)
Directions for the curd:
- (not required, but helpful) Blitz the sugar and citrus zest in a food processor to mix thoroughly. If you don’t want to do this step then make sure you are mixing it well.
- Cream the butter with the sugar and zest mixture with a hand or stand mixer.
- Slowly add in the eggs, salt, and juice.
- Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until the temperature of the mixture gets to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. It took me around 13 minutes on low heat. Be careful to not let the mixture curdle.
- Chill mixture a bit and then pour into the tart shells.
Chill tarts until ready to serve. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar!
