1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
CRUST: Butter bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Blend flour, sugar, lemon peel, and salt in processor. Add butter and blend until coarse meal forms. Add egg yolks and blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Press onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Freeze crust until firm, about 15 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust 5 minutes. Press up sides of crust with back of fork if sliding down. Continue to bake crust until golden, pressing up sides as needed, about 18 minutes longer. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.
FILLING: Whisk sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and lemon peel in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in lemon juice and wine. Cook over medium heat until custard thickens and just begins to bubble, whisking constantly, about 5 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Cool to just warm, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Gradually whisk in cream. Pour filling into crust.
Bake tart until filling is set in center and begins to puff at edges, about 20 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Chill at least 2 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
The combination of lemon, honey, walnuts, and fresh figs gives this dessert a Provengal flavor. If fresh figs aren’t available, use sliced plums instead. 6 servings
Crust
1⅓ cups unbleached all purpose flour
⅓ cup walnuts
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
1½ tablespoons (or more) ice water
Filling
¾ cup buttermilk
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
½ cup honey
Topping
6 fresh figs, cut crosswise (or pitted plums, cut lengthwise) into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
CRUST: Mix flour, walnuts, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg yolk and 1½ tablespoons ice water in small bowl to blend; add to dry ingredients and process just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Roll out dough disk on floured surface to ⅛-inch-thick round. Transfer to tart pan. Press crust onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim edges; reserve trimmings. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake until crust is golden, about 25 minutes longer. Repair any cracks in crust with reserved dough. Cool crust. Maintain oven temperature.
FILLING: Whisk buttermilk, lemon juice, eggs, flour, and lemon peel in bowl. Add honey and stir until dissolved. Pour into crust. Bake until filling is set, about 30 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Chill until cold.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
TOPPING: Arrange figs atop tart. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with walnuts.Market Tip: FigsKeep in mind that fresh figs don’t ripen off the tree, so only buy figs that feel ripe. They should be soft and have a fragrant scent. Nicks or tears in the skin won’t affect the fruit. Ripe, fresh figs are very fragile, so take care when transporting them. Once home, put the figs in the fridge, where they’ll keep for a couple of days.
Blood oranges are increasingly available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and farmers’ markets from December through June. If you can’t find blood oranges, navel oranges are fine substitutes. 10 to 12 servings
Orange Curd
1½ cups sugar
⅓ cup fresh blood orange juice
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
6 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon finely grated blood orange peel
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
Crust
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 large egg yolk
8 blood orangesOrange Caramel Sauce (see recipe)
ORANGE CURD: Whisk sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, and orange peel in medium metal bowl to blend. Add butter; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until curd thickens and instant-read thermometer inserted into curd registers 175°F, about 12 minutes (do not boil). Remove bowl from over water. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd; chill overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream and egg yolk and process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.
Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press crust onto bottom and up sides of pan. Fold dough overhang in and press onto pan, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork; freeze 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crust until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on rack. Spread curd evenly in cooled crust.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Transfer segments to paper towels and pat dry. Arrange orange segments in concentric circles atop orange curd. Chill tart up to 1 hour.
Remove pan sides from tart. Cut tart into wedges. Drizzle lightly with Orange Caramel Sauce and serve.
This complex sauce has orange notes on deep caramel. When making the caramel, be sure to use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel or copper saucepan for even browning and good visibility. The sauce is equally delicious when made with navel oranges or Valencia oranges. Makes about ⅔ cup