Blood orange tarts

Method

• step 1

  Put the flour, butter, icing sugar and orange zest in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles damp sand. Add 1-2 tbsp of cold water and pulse again until the pastry comes together into a ball. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

• step 2

  Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roll the chilled pastry out to a 5mm thickness on a floured worksurface, then stamp out four rounds large enough to fit your tartlet tins using a biscuit or pastry cutter. Use the pastry rounds to line the tins, leaving a little overhanging, then line with small, scrunched-up pieces of baking paper and baking beans. Transfer the tins to a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until looking biscuity. Remove the beans and baking paper and bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden brown and dry. Trim the excess with a serrated knife. Reduce the oven temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.

• step 3

  Meanwhile, put 2 tbsp of caster sugar and the remaining filling ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined. Strain into a jug through a fine sieve, then pour into the pastry cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set with just a slight wobble in the centre. Cool to room temperature, then chill until ready to serve.

• step 4

  Sprinkle 2 tbsp of caster sugar evenly over the tops of the tartlets, then use the grill (see introduction) or a kitchen blowtorch to caramelise the sugar until golden brown. Sprinkle the orange segments with a little more sugar and caramelise these, too, if you like. Serve with the tartlets.