Black Currant Tart Delight (Printer View)

A crisp buttery shell filled with tangy black currant curd and finished with whipped cream.

# What you'll need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2-3 tablespoons ice water

→ Black Currant Curd

07 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen black currants
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 large egg yolks
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

→ Whipped Cream Topping

14 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold
15 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water; mix just until dough comes together, adding additional water if necessary. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out chilled pastry on a floured surface and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess pastry from edges. Prick base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
03 - Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper, then bake 8-10 minutes more until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine black currants, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until berries burst and sugar dissolves, approximately 5 minutes. Puree mixture and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove skins.
05 - Whisk eggs and egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the warm currant puree. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
06 - Pour black currant curd into cooled tart shell. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully set.
07 - Whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Pipe or spoon over chilled tart immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pastry shatters under your fork in the most satisfying way, and it actually stays crisp even after the curd settles in.
  • Black currants have this tart-but-not-sour quality that tastes sophisticated without demanding a culinary degree to pull off.
  • You can make both components ahead, so it's perfect for impressing people without the last-minute kitchen panic.
02 -
  • The pastry needs to be completely cool before the curd goes in, or the warmth will prevent it from setting properly and you'll end up with a soggy bottom.
  • Straining the currant puree is genuinely important—those little skins create a gritty texture that undermines everything else you've worked for.
  • Don't skip the low heat for cooking the curd; rushing it with high heat will scramble your eggs and ruin the whole thing, and there's no coming back from that.
03 -
  • Keep your mixing bowl and mixer bowl in the freezer for five minutes before whipping cream; the cold equipment makes all the difference in how quickly and firmly it whips.
  • If you want to add almond flour to the pastry for a subtle nutty undertone, use 1/4 cup ground almonds and reduce the all-purpose flour to 1 cup—it changes the flavor beautifully without disrupting the structure.
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