I love using blood-oranges. These small oranges have such a richly hued flesh that not only yields a dazzling ruby-coloured juice, but the juice makes a sensational sorbet and sliced they look extraordinary. This easy to make tart really shows off the blood-orange in all its glory and tastes divine. Use a good quality orange marmalade for this dish.
Blood-Orange Almond Filo Tart
100g butter, softened, plus 1 tablespoon extra
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup almond meal. toasted
8 sheets filo pastry
1/2 cup marmalade
2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
crème fraiche, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180C. Place 100g softened butter and icing sugar into a bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, and beat until pale and fluffy. Fold in the almond meal. Set aside.
Lay 1 sheet of filo pastry on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush filo with melted butter; repeat, stacking remaining pastry layers. Spread marmalade over the pastry, leaving a 4cm border around the edge. Spread almond cream evenly over the marmalade, the fold in the edges and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Layer orange slices on top of the tart and brush pastry with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Serve with crème fraiche.
