Name: Pomegranate Curd Tart with Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H55M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT5H30M0.000S
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1/3 cup (45 grams) almond flour; 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup (45 grams) confectioners' sugar; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 cup (235 milliliters) fresh pomegranate juice, not from concentrate (see Cook’s Note); 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar; Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon); 3 large eggs; 3 large egg yolks; 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 4 to 5 drops red gel food coloring, optional (see Cook’s Note); 1/4 cup (65 grams) mascarpone; 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) heavy cream; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; Zest of 1/2 lemon (about 1/2 teaspoon); 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; Pinch kosher salt; 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds; Lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

Directions

Special equipment:

9-inch tart pan with removable bottom; piping bag fitted with a large star tip

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the almond flour in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk the all-purpose flour, hot almond flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Stir in the melted butter until the dough just comes together, about 1 minute. Divide the dough in half. Firmly press one half of the dough into the sides of an ungreased 9-inch tart pan and the other half over the bottom. Use the back of a measuring cup to pack the dough, ensuring the bottom is smooth and even. Gently prick the bottom crust all over with a fork. Chill until firm, about 15 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Line the dough in the tart pan with foil, shiny side down, making sure to press the foil into the sides (this will prevent the sides from sinking). Bake until the edges are set and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Continue to bake until the crust is dry and lightly browned, 25 to 30 more minutes. Leave to set in a warm area while you make the pomegranate curd; keep the oven on to bake the tart.
For the curd: Bring the pomegranate juice and lemon juice to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, rub the granulated sugar and lemon zest together in a medium bowl until combined and the sugar is slightly moistened. Whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, pomegranate molasses and salt into the lemon sugar until smooth.
Slowly drizzle hot pomegranate juice into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated. Return the mixture to the same pan the pomegranate juice heated in. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon or reaches 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes.
Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve set over medium bowl. Whisk in the cold butter, vanilla extract and 5 drops red food gel, if using (see Cook’s Note). Whisk until smooth and the butter is incorporated. Immediately pour the curd into the warm tart crust and smooth the top.
Bake the tart at 300 degrees F until the curd just begins to puff at the edges but the center still has a slight wobble, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until completely chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
For the whipped mascarpone: Whip the mascarpone, heavy cream, granulated sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract and salt in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until it forms medium peaks, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the whipped cream in a decorative pattern on top of the tart, leaving some of the red filling showing. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and lemon zest.

Cook’s Note

Make sure you use pomegranate juice labeled fresh, not pomegranate juice from concentrate as the two products are not interchangeable. Without the red food coloring, the pomegranate curd will be a muted reddish-brown color. Adding 4 to 5 drops of gel food coloring gives it the bright color of pomegranates.