Orange Cardamom Tart With Pistachio (Printable)

Creamy orange-cardamom filling nestled in a crisp, nutty pistachio crust for an elegant dessert.

# What You'll 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 (from about 2 oranges)
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 (optional)

16 - 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
17 - Orange zest strips or candied orange slices

# Directions:

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 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. Bake at 325°F for 20–22 minutes or until filling is just set but still slightly wobbly in the center.
06 - Cool tart at room temperature, then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with chopped pistachios and orange zest or candied orange.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cardamom adds this exotic warmth that makes people ask whats in it while never overpowering the fresh orange
  • That pistachio crust is basically a shortbread cookie with a secret life, sturdy enough to hold the silky filling but tender enough to melt away
  • It looks stunning with minimal effort and actually tastes better the next day
02 -
  • Overbaking will cause the filling to crack and weep, so pull it from the oven when it still has a gentle wobble like gelatin
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, so take your eggs and cream out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start
  • The tart needs at least two hours total cooling time to slice cleanly
03 -
  • Grate your zest directly into the sugar and rub them together with your fingers to release the essential oils before adding other ingredients
  • If your crust edges start browning too quickly, cover them with a ring of aluminum foil

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