Orange and Mango Tart

The orange and mango tart is a fresh and fragrant dessert, perfect to conclude a meal or to accompany an afternoon break. Here is the recipe to prepare an Italian-style orange and mango tart.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 300 g of type “00” flour
• 150 g of cold butter, cubed
• 150 g of icing sugar
• 1 whole egg and 1 yolk
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 (organic) orange

For the orange cream:

• 250 ml of orange juice (about 2-3 oranges depending on size)
• 100 ml of fresh cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 80 g of sugar
• 30 g of cornstarch (corn flour)
• Grated zest of 1 (organic) orange

For the garnish:

• 1 ripe mango
• 2 oranges (peeled and sliced thinly)
• Apricot jelly or orange marmalade for glazing (optional)

Preparation

Shortcrust pastry:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the icing sugar and salt.
2. Add the cold butter cubes and the grated orange zest, then quickly work with the tips of your fingers to obtain a sandy mixture.
3. Incorporate the egg and the yolk and knead quickly to obtain a smooth dough. Avoid overworking the dough.
4. Wrap the shortcrust pastry in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Orange cream:

1. In a small pot, heat the cream with the grated orange zest without bringing it to a boil.
2. In another bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until you have a light and fluffy mixture.
3. Add the sifted cornstarch to the yolks and mix well.
4. Pour the orange juice into the egg mixture and blend everything together.
5. Add the hot cream, mix, and transfer everything back into the pot.
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens.
7. Let the cream cool by covering it with cling film in contact to prevent a skin from forming.

Assembling the tart:

1. Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a previously buttered and floured tart pan.
2. Prick the base with the tines of a fork and pour in the cooled orange cream.
3. Peel the oranges and the mango and slice them thinly.
4. Arrange the fruit slices decoratively on the cream.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Finishing touches:

1. If desired, once the tart is cool, you can brush it with warmed apricot jelly or orange marmalade to give a nice shine to the fruit.

Fun Fact

The tart is often decorated with fresh fruit in the Italian version to add freshness and a touch of bright color. The use of marmalade or jelly to glaze the fruit not only makes the dessert look more beautiful but also helps to preserve the fruit better, preventing it from oxidizing.