Reminiscent of Key lime pie, this orange tart with a shortbread crust is sweet and tangy. It is made from the juice of blood oranges, which can range in color from burnt orange to dark red wine. Depending on the color of the oranges, your tart can turn out pumpkin color, as shown in these photos, or even a beautiful purple color.

Tarocco, a variety of blood orange, is usually available from January through May and has good flavor and nice color. Some people don’t like the name blood orange because it isn’t very appetizing. However, it is a pretty good description of the orange when you cut into it!

You can substitute other fresh orange juice for the blood orange juice in this recipe. The key is to use fresh juice instead of bottled. Oranges don’t produce as strong a citrus taste as key limes or lemons do in a baked pie so I added lemon juice to brighten the taste. I also added a few drops of orange and lemon oil to enhance the citrus taste. Enjoy!


Prep Time | 20 minutes |
Cook Time | 40 minutes |
Passive Time | 30 minutes |
Servings |
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- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 1 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom (see note below for alternative pan and crust)
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed blood orange juice
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 large eggs, well beaten
- 1 large orange, zested
- 6 drops food-grade orange essential oil (see note below for where to buy orange oil)
- 3 drops food grade lemon essential oil (see note below for where to buy lemon oil)
- 2-4 drops red gel food coloring (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
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- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Grease a tart pan that has a removable bottom.
- Place all the crust ingredients into a food processor and blend until the mixture is well mixed but coarse. You can also use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry crust ingredients and mix well with your hands.
- Press crust mixture firmly into the greased tart pan.
- Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely (approximately 30 minutes). Place it on a wire rack to help it cool faster.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a mixing bowl, add the condensed milk, orange and lemon juices, eggs, orange zest, essential oils, food coloring, and salt. Using a whisk or mixer, beat the mixture until well blended.
- Pour mixture into the cooled crust. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until set. Cool and then place the pie in the refrigerator. Serve chilled. Garnish with orange slices.
Quick Tips:
- If in a hurry or do not have a tart pan, use a store-bought prepared shortbread crust for this recipe.
- To cool the cooked crust in a shorter amount of time, let the cooked crust sit out for a few minutes and then place it on a potholder in the freezer for 10 or 15 minutes.
Orange Oil can be purchased at King Arthur Flour by clicking here and Lemon Oil by clicking here.
You can substitute orange and lemon extracts for the orange and lemon oils.ย Just use a few extra drops than the recipe lists.