Orange Cardamom Tart Pistachio Crust (Printable Version)
Creamy orange-cardamom filling nestled in a crisp, nutty pistachio crust for an elegant dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Pistachio Crust
01 - 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
06 - 1 large egg yolk
07 - 1–2 tablespoons ice water
→ Orange Cardamom Filling
08 - 3 large eggs
09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons orange zest
11 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
13 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish
16 - 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
17 - Orange zest strips or candied orange slices
# Method:
01 - Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, powdered sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add egg yolk and pulse a few times. Drizzle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until dough begins to clump. Press dough evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Chill for 20 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
03 - Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake 8 more minutes, until golden. Cool slightly.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until smooth. Whisk in orange zest, juice, cardamom, heavy cream, melted butter, and salt until fully blended.
05 - Pour filling into the slightly cooled crust. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake for 20–22 minutes or until filling is just set but still slightly wobbly in the center.
06 - Cool tart at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
07 - Garnish with chopped pistachios and orange zest or candied orange slices before serving.
# Expert Tricks:
01 -
- The crust is essentially a shortbread cookie studded with pistachios, which means you will absolutely eat the scraps
- Cardamom adds this warm floral note that makes people ask whats in it but never guess correctly
- The filling sets into this silky custard that manages to feel both rich and refreshing somehow
02 -
- Overbaking the filling will make it weep and lose that silky texture, so pull it when it still wobbles slightly in the center
- Letting the crust chill before baking prevents it from shrinking down the sides while it bakes
- Room temperature ingredients for the filling prevent little lumps of butter from forming in your custard
03 -
- Grind fresh cardamom pods instead of using pre-ground powder for a flavor that is genuinely transformative
- Brush the baked crust with a beaten egg white for 2 minutes before adding the filling to prevent sogginess