Seville orange tart with orangettes

Marmalade remains an invigorating way to start ones day,its combination of sweet and tart kick-starting the tastebuds and lifting the grim mood of the mornings papers promising nothing but a world gone mad,backstops and procrastination.
Rather than serving the Seville orange at breakfast in the form of a jam why not as a sweet ending to a dinner.I use the juice and zest in combination with other ingredients as a marinade for fish.Most recently I used it in place of limes for a tuna marinade.One could make a good old fashioned sponge pudding and serve it with custard.Thats what my mum would have done.But for now I have replaced my tarte au citron for the season with this alternative citrus tart.Like the lemon tart but a little shallower.It is sweet and sharp and I am sure if you make it you are not going to be disappointed.I served it with home made orangettes, using up both pith and peel.Orangettes,it sounds to me like an indie girl group from the Seventies,or am I mistakenly thinking Noisettes?

FOR THE SEVILLE ORANGE TART
Pastry
120g unsalted butter 
100g light brown caster sugar 
2 egg yolks
140g plain flour
A pinch of salt 
 24cm tart ring 
 1 egg 
 Cream the butter and sugar until light and aerated (this is best done with the blending arm of an electric mixer). Add the egg yolks one by one and beat until amalgamated. Add the sieved flour and the salt and very gently knead into a paste without overworking the flour. Shape into a slightly flattened ball, wrap in film and refrigerate for one hour. ● Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Allowing extra for the depth of the tin and to overlap the sides a little, roll it out to a disc of at least 27cm in diameter. Carefully drop the pastry into the ring, making sure it fits right into the corners and hangs over the edge of the ring at every point. Do not cut off this overhang. Make absolutely sure there are no holes in the pastry, using any excess overhang to carry out repairs. Refrigerate the case for 30 minutes. ● Line the interior of the case with greaseproof paper or foil and baking beans. Bake in a moderate (180C) preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the baking beans and paper from the case and return to the oven for five minutes to finish cooking the base. ● Beat the egg with a tablespoon of milk and brush the interior of the case the minute it comes out of the oven and is still very hot. Return the shell to the oven for three or four minutes to bake the egg coating and thus ensure there are no holes in the case. ● Allow to cool a little.
Filling
5 Seville oranges 
4 eggs plus 1 yolk 
150g caster sugar 
150ml double cream 
Icing sugar for dusting 
Very finely grate the zest of three of the oranges into a bowl and then squeeze well and strain the juice into the bowl. Whisk together the eggs and yolk and the sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mix is smooth. Pour in the double cream. Mix well before stirring in the juice and zest. Lower the oven temperature to 150C. Place the tart tin on the middle shelf of the oven a third of the way out of the oven. Carefully pour in the mixture and slide it into the oven. It will take about 40 minutes to cook. If the surface threatens to colour, cover it with foil. To test, give the tray a nudge – there should be no sign of liquid movement beneath the surface of the tart.Allow the tart to cool a little before sawing off the overhang with a serrated knife and gently lifting off the tart ring. Transfer the tart to a plate only once it has completely cooled and refrigerate. Dust with a sprinkling of icing sugar and serve chilled with the orangettes and no other accompaniment.

Orangettes are a perfect, simple homage to the combination of orange and chocolate. This recipe is designed to create candied orange zest that is delightfully chewy on the inside, with chocolate that snaps between the teeth on the outside. Use a high-quality chocolate of no more than 61% cocoa solids; higher percentages can be difficult to use for dipping.Orangettes are the ultimate treat for those who love the chocolate and orange flavour sensation. They are brilliant in their simplicity, made of nothing but orange peel, sugar, and the best dark chocolate you can get your hands on. They are also relatively easy to make at home, have a long shelf life, and are quite beautiful.

2 Seville oranges with thick skin 
3 cups granulated sugar
3 cups water
1/4 cup corn syrup
optional: cinnamon stick
6 ounces 61% (or lower) high-quality chocolate, tempered
optional: sprinkle of sea salt

Using a serrated knife, cut off the very top and bottom of the oranges, just exposing the flesh inside the pith. Then, cut wide strips of the peel from the orange, from pole to pole. Scrape any flesh from the inside of the peels using a melon ball scooper. Using a chef's knife, trim the edges of the peel pieces so they are even and rectangular. Cut the rectangles into narrow strips.
Set up a bowl of ice water and set aside. Combine 3 cups water, the sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon stick in a 4 quart saucepan. Stir to combine the ingredients. Place 2 quarts of water into another 4 quart (or larger) saucepan. Set both pots over medium heat. Bring the sugar solution to a simmer and stir until all of the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside. Once the pot of water has reached a boil, add the orange peels and simmer for one minute. Strain out the zest, place in the ice water bath. Discard the water, rinse the pot, and add fresh water. Bring the fresh pot of water to a boil and blanch the peels a second time, for one minute. Strain out the peels, stir to add them to the pot with the syrup, and bring them to a low simmer, over low heat. Simmer the peels for one hour, stirring frequently. Remove the peels from the syrup, and spread them so they are not touching over a cooling rack. Allow them to dry overnight, turning halfway through.
Place a bowl of tempered chocolate on the workstation, propped at an angle with a towel. Set up a sheet tray lined with parchment and dipping forks. Partially or fully submerge the candied peels in the chocolate, shake and wipe off the excess, and place on the parchment to set up in a cool dry place. The orangettes are best enjoyed within two weeks. Store in a cool, dry place.