Blood Orange and Ricotta Tart

When you need a little sunshine in your life, bake this tart. You know when you see the suns rays streaking through stormy clouds like an epiphany? Yeah, now you're getting the idea.

Blood Orange and Ricotta Tart
adapted from Delicious

For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:

125g unsalted butter, chilled

1/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups plain flour
a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon chilled water

For the Filling:
240g (1 cup) ricotta
200g mascarpone
110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
3 eggs
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 blood oranges
300ml whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks for topping

For the Caramelised Blood Oranges:
150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
1 blood orange, thinly sliced

Make the Pastry:
Place the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse until it starts to come together. Add enough chilled water to form a dough. Turn the dough out,  wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Make the Caramelised Blood Oranges:
Place the sugar and 165ml (2/3 cup) water into a wide frying pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 - 10 minutes until the sugar starts to turn golden. Add the sliced blood orange and cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes until well coated. Transfer to a baking paper lined tray and set aside to cool.

Make the Tart:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Slide a baking sheet into the oven to heat.

Roll the pastry out to 3mm thick and line the base and sides of a 26cm loose-bottomed tart pan with it. trim the excess pastry. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Line the pastry with baking paper and baking weights. Pop the pan onto the heated baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, then remove the paper and weights, and return to the oven and continue baking for a further 3 - 5 minutes or until it is pale golden and dry. Cool slightly. Take the baking tray out of the oven. You don't need it any more.

Put the ricotta, mascarpone, sugar, eggs, and blood orange juice and zest into a food processor. Blitz until smooth. Pour the filling into the cooled pastry case. Place it on the oven rack and bake for 30 minutes or until set with a slight wobble in the centre. Leave to cool completely.

Top the tart with whipped cream and strew haphazardly with the caramelised blood oranges.