Orange Pastry Recipes

ORANGE TART

Steps:

• Place the flour, confectioners' sugar, almond flour, salt, orange zest and the cold butter into a food processor. Pulse the ingredients until a fine breadcrumb consistency has been formed.
• Add the egg yolk and cold water, pulse again until the mixture sticks together in clumps.
• Tip the contents of the food processor onto your work surface and bring together into a ball with your hands. Knead the pastry a few times until nice and smooth. (If your butter wasn't cold and was a bit too soft your pastry might be too. If so, wrap it in parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.) Set aside.
• Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed tart tin.
• Lay a piece of parchment paper on the work surface. Remove the base of the tart tin and lay it on the paper. Using a pencil, draw a circle onto the paper 4cm/1½ins bigger than the base of the tin.
• Dust the base of the tin with flour. Place the pastry ball in the centre of the tin base and flatten out slightly. Roll out the pastry, still on the tin base, until it meets the circle marks. As you are rolling the pastry, turn the pastry by turning the paper.
• Gently fold the pastry into the centre of the tin base. Carefully lift the tin base off the work surface, drop it into the tin, ease the pastry into the corners and up the sides of the tin, pressing the overhang lightly over the rim. If the pastry has cracked at all, simply press it together to seal.
• Press the pastry into the curves of the tin then lightly prick the base with a fork, but not all the way through. Place the pastry-lined tin onto a baking tray, cover loosely with cling film or tea towel and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/390°F/gas mark 6.
• Remove the pastry from the fridge and uncover.
• Line the inside of the pastry with foil so it supports the sides, then fill with baking beans.
• Bake blind for 12-15 minutes, until the pastry is set, then lift out the foil and beans.
• Carefully trim the excess pastry from the sides using a potato peeler, lightly run the peeler over the top of the excess pastry until it falls away, leaving you a smooth top to your edges. Remove the trimmings from the sheet.
• Return the empty pastry case to the oven for another 10-12 minutes or until it is pale golden and completely dry.
• Set aside and allow to cool while you make your orange filling.
• [Optional] If you are using fresh oranges, zest the oranges and set aside the zest for later. Now juice the oranges and place the juice into a small pot.
• Heat the orange juice on the stove over low heat until it simmers.
• While the juice is heating up, whisk together the eggs, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.
• Once the juice starts to simmer, slowly pour it over the egg mixture while whisking. Mix well until combined and smooth, then pour it back into the pot.
• Place the pot back over a low heat and keep mixing until the liquid starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and transfer into a mixing bowl. Add the gelatine powder and whisk until fully incorporated.
• Leave the filling to cool down slightly then add the soft butter, orange zest and Angostura orange bitters. Quickly mix it in with a whisk until fully combined.
• Pour the orange filling into the pastry case and lightly drop the case onto your counter, from about 2.5cm (1 inch) off of the counter, a few times until all bubbles have been released from the filling. Place in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours or, for best results, overnight.
• Remove the tart from the tin.
• Place the cream, confectioners' sugar and the Angostura orange bitters into a bowl and whisk together until firm.
• Now decorate as you see fit. Feel free to take inspiration from the photos or just go with your own ideas. Enjoy!

ORANGE PASTRY MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. In a food processor, whizz together the flour, icing sugar and butter until they form fine crumbs (or rub in with your fingers). With the blades running, add the zest, then 3 tbsp orange juice. Process for a few secs until the mixture forms clumps. If you need to, add a few extra tsps orange juice to bring the pastry together.
• Tip onto a very lightly floured surface, knead briefly until smooth, then chill in the fridge for 30 mins or until firm. The pastry can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month.
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour, then roll out the pastry to approx £1 coin thickness. Cut out 12 x 8cm rounds with a fluted cutter and press into a 12-hole non-stick bun tin. Re-roll the trimmings to the same thickness and stamp out 12 x 5cm rounds for the tops. Spoon about 1 tbsp mincemeat into each base and press on the tops.
• Brush the tops with the egg, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden and crisp. Cool for a few mins, then lever out of the tins with a table knife and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Warm gently to serve, dusted with sifted icing sugar, if you like.

ORANGE PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• In a sall saucepan, combine milk, orange zest, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Scrape in vanilla seeds, and add the pod. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and coner. Set aside 10 minutes; discard orange zest and vanilla pod.
• Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with cornstarch. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and egg yolks; add the sugar mixture and continue whisking until pale yellow.
• Return milk mixture to heat. Bring to a boil, scraping vanilla seeds from side of pan.
• Slowly ladle half of boiling milk mixture into egg mixture, ewhisking constantly. Transfer this new mixture back to saucepan.
• Set saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides and edges of pan. Once mixture comes to a full boil, whisk vigorously until very thick, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape pastry cream into a medium bowl; set over ice-water bath. Whisk butter, piece by piece, into pastry cream while still warm. Let cool completey. Lay plastic wrap on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Store in refrigerator up to 1 day.

ORANGE PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine milk, orange zest, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Scrape in vanilla seeds, and add the pod. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and cover. Set aside 10 minutes; discard orange zest and vanilla pod.
• Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with cornstarch. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and egg yolk; add the sugar mixture, and continue whisking until pale yellow.
• Return milk mixture to heat. Bring to a boil, scraping vanilla seeds from sides of pan.
• Slowly ladle half of boiling milk mixture into egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer this new mixture back to saucepan.
• Set pan over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides and edges of pan. Once mixture comes to a boil, whisk vigorously until very thick, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape pastry cream into a medium bowl; set over ice bath. Whisk butter, piece by piece, into the pastry cream while still warm. Let cool completely. Lay plastic wrap on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Store pastry cream, refrigerated, up to 1 day.

ORANGE PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift together flour and salt.
• Cut in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal.
• Add orange juice, a small amount at a time, tossing lightly with a fork until dough is moist enough to hold together.
• Shape into ball and roll out or refrigerate.
• Pastry will keep wrapped up in the fridge for several days.