tangerine tart with vanilla bean shortbread crust

Tangerine Tart with Vanilla Bean Shortbread Crust
Makes one 8-inch tart

For the shortbread crust:
1/4 cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
one vanilla bean, seeds scraped
one egg yolk
pinch of salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups (156 grams) flour

For the filling:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (20 grams) sugar
1/2 cup (118 ml) freshly-squeezed tangerine juice (from about two medium tangerines)
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, cold
juice from half a lemon
powdered sugar, for dusting

Make the crust: In a medium bowl stir together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, egg yolk, and salt until smooth. Add melted butter, mix until combined, then add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. Don’t fret if it looks a little oily.

Press walnut-sized balls of dough evenly around the edges of an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom then crumble the remaining dough over the bottom of the pan, and use your fingers to press the dough into an even layer. Use a fork to lightly prick the dough (every few inches or so) and freeze for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the crust from the freezer and press a piece of foil very tightly up against the bottom and up the sides of the crust. This avoids the need for using pie weights! Yay! Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove foil and use a spoon to press back the dough if it has puffed up then continue to bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.

While the crust is baking, make the filling: In a medium saucepan whisk together eggs, yolks, salt and sugar until smooth and slightly thickened. Whisk in the tangerine juice. Add the butter and set the pan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the butter has melted. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to stir until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, or about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the juice from half a lemon. Transfer the curd to a small bowl until the crust has finished baking.

Bring it all together: Remove the crust from the oven and pour the tangerine curd over the warm crust. Smooth the top and bake for 5 minutes to set the curd. Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack until the tart comes to room temperature. Chill for several hours or overnight. When you are ready to serve, sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar, slice into small wedges and enjoy.