Cakes
Blood Orange Meringue Tarts
Lusciously tart and sweet, these Blood Orange Meringue Tarts feature vibrant blood orange curd, toasted Italian meringue, and a buttery flaky crust.
Giulia’s Recipe Rundown
Taste
Bright blood orange, sweet citrus curd, buttery crust, and fluffy vanilla Italian meringue.
Texture
Flaky tart shells, silky blood orange curd, and soft toasted meringue peaks.
Ease
A bakery-style tart recipe with three beautiful parts: pastry, curd, and meringue.
Best For
Winter citrus season, spring brunch, elegant dessert tables, tea parties, and special occasions.
These Blood Orange Meringue Tarts are elegant, colorful, and full of bright citrus flavor. They combine buttery homemade tart shells with a silky blood orange curd and a cloud of toasted Italian meringue on top.
Blood oranges give the curd a beautiful pink-orange color and a flavor that is both sweet and tangy. A touch of lemon juice keeps the filling bright, while blood orange zest adds fragrant citrus oils that make every bite taste fresh.
The finishing touch is the meringue. It is soft, glossy, and lightly toasted, creating a beautiful contrast against the vibrant citrus curd. These tarts look impressive, but each part is manageable when made step by step.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Beautiful blood orange dessert with natural citrus color
- Silky sweet-tart blood orange curd
- Buttery, flaky homemade tart crust
- Glossy toasted Italian meringue topping
- Perfect for winter citrus season and spring entertaining
- Elegant bakery-style presentation
Important Ingredient Notes
Blood Orange Juice
Freshly squeezed blood orange juice gives the curd its bright citrus flavor and beautiful color. The shade can vary from orange-pink to deep ruby depending on the fruit.
Blood Orange Zest
The zest adds concentrated citrus aroma. Zest the oranges before juicing them so it is easier to remove only the colorful outer peel.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice sharpens the blood orange flavor and keeps the curd from tasting too sweet. It adds just enough acidity to balance the sugar and butter.
Egg Yolks and Whole Egg
Egg yolks make the blood orange curd rich, silky, and thick. The whole egg helps the curd set with a smooth, sliceable texture.
Butter
Butter is used in both the pastry and the curd. Cold butter creates flakiness in the crust, while softened pieces of butter make the curd glossy and rich.
Shortening
Shortening helps create a tender, flaky pie dough. Using both butter and shortening gives the crust flavor and structure.
Sour Cream
A small amount of sour cream adds tenderness to the dough and helps create a flaky, delicate pastry texture.
Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites so the meringue becomes glossy, fluffy, and more reliable.
How to Make Blood Orange Meringue Tarts
Make the pie dough
Mix water and sour cream together, then combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter and shortening until the mixture looks crumbly.
Chill and shape the crusts
Add the sour cream mixture just until the dough comes together. Chill the dough, then roll it out and press it into tartlet pans.
Bake the tart shells
Blind bake the tart shells until lightly golden and flaky. Let them cool completely before filling with curd.
Make the blood orange curd
Cook blood orange juice, egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt over gentle heat until thickened.
Fill and chill
Whisk butter into the warm curd until smooth, then spoon the curd into the cooled tart shells. Chill until set.
Add Italian meringue
Make a glossy Italian meringue, pipe or spoon it over the chilled tarts, then toast the peaks until golden.
Sweet Baking Science
Why keep the butter cold for the crust?
Cold butter creates steam as it bakes, which helps form flaky layers in the pastry. If the butter melts before baking, the crust can become dense instead of flaky.
Why blind bake the tart shells?
Blind baking keeps the crust crisp before adding the soft curd filling. It prevents the tart shells from becoming soggy.
Why cook curd gently?
Citrus curd contains eggs, so gentle heat is important. Cooking too quickly can scramble the eggs instead of creating a smooth, silky filling.
Why use Italian meringue?
Italian meringue is made with hot sugar syrup, which helps create a stable, glossy meringue that holds its shape beautifully on tarts.
Storage
Store Blood Orange Meringue Tarts in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
The crust is crispest the day the tarts are assembled. For the best texture, add and toast the meringue shortly before serving.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can prepare several parts of this recipe ahead of time to make assembly easier.
- Make the pie dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it refrigerated.
- Bake the tart shells one day ahead and store them covered at room temperature.
- Make the blood orange curd up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it.
- Fill the tart shells a few hours before serving.
- Add and toast the meringue close to serving time for the freshest finish.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Can I use regular oranges instead of blood oranges?
Yes, but the color and flavor will be different. Regular oranges are usually sweeter and less dramatic in color, so the curd will look more golden-orange.
Why is my blood orange curd not bright red?
Blood oranges vary naturally in color. Some give deep ruby juice, while others are more orange-pink. The flavor will still be delicious.
Why did my curd become grainy?
The heat may have been too high, causing the eggs to overcook. Cook the curd over gentle heat and whisk constantly.
Can I use store-bought tart shells?
Yes. Store-bought tart shells can save time, but homemade pastry gives the best buttery, flaky flavor.
Do I need a kitchen torch?
A kitchen torch gives the most control for toasting meringue. If you do not have one, you can briefly use the broiler, watching very carefully so the meringue does not burn.
Blood Orange Meringue Tarts
Elegant blood orange meringue tarts with buttery flaky crust, silky blood orange curd, and toasted Italian meringue.
Ingredients
For the pie dough
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
For the blood orange curd
- 1 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
- 7 large egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon blood orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
For the meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together water and sour cream. Keep chilled until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add shortening and cold butter. Cut them into the flour until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs.
- Add the chilled sour cream mixture a little at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together.
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- Roll out the chilled dough and fit it into tartlet pans. Trim the edges and prick the bottoms with a fork.
- Line the shells with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Let the tart shells cool completely.
- For the blood orange curd, whisk together blood orange juice, egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, lemon juice, blood orange zest, and salt in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter pieces until smooth and glossy.
- Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve if desired for an extra-smooth texture.
- Spoon the blood orange curd into the cooled tart shells.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the curd is fully set.
- For the meringue, place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat until the syrup reaches 240°F / 115°C.
- While the syrup cooks, begin whipping the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- With the mixer running, slowly stream the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites.
- Add vanilla and continue whipping until the meringue is glossy, thick, and holds stiff peaks.
- Pipe or spoon the meringue over the chilled tarts.
- Toast the meringue with a kitchen torch until golden brown.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
For the cleanest flavor and brightest color, use freshly squeezed blood orange juice. The natural color of the curd can vary depending on the blood oranges you use.
