Orange Blossom Almond Cream Tart for Two

It’s funny, really… just a few months ago I was lamenting the lack of chocolate in traditional Thanksgiving desserts, and downright demanding decadent alternatives. And now, in the midst of what may be the most chocolate-filled holiday of them all, I’m doing just the opposite.

Sure, I’ve posted my fair share of chocolate desserts for Valentine’s Day… from chocolate cherry tarts to chocolate creme brulee to chocolate truffles filled with pop rocks.

But to say that chocolate is the only way to go for Valentine’s day would be doing a great disservice.. to this dessert in particular. The creamy texture is simply heavenly, somewhere in between creme brulee and lemon curd, lightly scented with oranges, almond extract, and a splash of orange blossom water, just enough to give it an air of elegance and intrigue but not so much that it tastes like grandma’s perfume. Because that’s a fine line you don’t want to find yourself on the other side of.

For years now, I regularly mix a bit of almond flour into my crusts, both cookie and pastry versions. It gives it a boost of extra almond flavor and a unique texture that you simply can’t get with all-purpose flour alone. It’s one of my favorite ‘tricks’ to better-than-average pie crusts (I won’t say perfect because god knows my crusts are never perfect).

Anyway, when I heard that White Lily’s newest Premium flour blend was to be an almond and wheat flour blend, I got more than a little bit excited, since it basically packaged up my little trick in a handy dandy resealable bag. We’ve been working with White Lily this year to spread the word about their new premium flour blends, and this might just be my favorite one yet. It can be used as a cup-for-cup replacement for regular all-purpose flour in just about any recipe, and you can bet I’m going to be swapping it everywhere I can, because you can never have too much almond.

I call it a tart for two, but in reality it’s probably more like 3 or 4 servings. But tart for three or four doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, nor does it fit with the Valentine’s day theme. And if find yourself single on this of all days, don’t deny yourself the pleasure, simply call it a tart for one and know that there’s something to be said for not having to share. More power to you.

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