Phenomenal Phoods

Blood Orange Tart

Ingredients:

For the crust

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

For the blood orange custard

• Zest and juice of 6 blood oranges
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar*
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Pinch of salt

For the Swiss meringue

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions:

For the crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Blend up the oats into a fine mixture using a blender or food processor.
3. Whisk together the flour, oats and cocoa powder to combine. Stir in the maple syrup and coconut oil to form a dough.
4. Press into the bottom of a greased, 8 or 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let cool before filling.

For the blood orange custard

1. Fill a pot with about an inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat on the stove.
2. In a large, heat-safe bowl, whisk together the blood orange zest and juice, eggs, egg yolks (reserve whites for Swiss meringue), sugar and cornstarch.
3. Heat the coconut oil in the microwave to melt it and to warm it up so you can use it to temper the eggs. Don't let it come to a boil so just 45 seconds or so in the microwave should do it. Slowly pour into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to warm up the eggs.
4. Place the bowl on top of your simmering pot of water and whisk constantly while slowly cooking the custard until it has thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon, and there should be a channel that forms when you move the spoon through it. It should take 10-15 minutes. Don't rush it, or you'll end up scrambling the eggs.
5. Remove the custard from the heat and immediately run it through a fine sieve to strain out any lumps. Cover with plastic and let the custard cool for 10 minutes or so before pouring into the cooled crust.
6. Chill the tart for 2 hours to set completely before topping with the meringue.

For the Swiss meringue

1. Prepare a pot with 1-2 inches of simmering water.
2. Whisk together the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water and stir constantly with a rubber spatula (so you can scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go) until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and place on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. The bowl should be mostly cool to touch, and you should be able to turn it upside down without the meringue moving.
5. Pipe or spoon meringue on top of the tart. Use a kitchen torch to toast the top of the meringue until it is browned and crispy on the outside, or put the whole tart in the oven under the broiler for 30-40 seconds. Watch it very closely as it will burn in a flash.