A thin glassy-smooth gelée layer made with cranberry and pomegranate juices floats over an orange cream base (think Creamsicle). Once set, the gelée holds a clean-cut edge but melts in your mouth. For the brightest red gelée layer, choose cranberry juice cocktail. If you use natural cranberry juice or only pomegranate juice, the topper with be a deep burgundy, almost brown, color.
Ingredients
Pomegranate-Orange Filling
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3/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
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1/4 cup pomegranate juice
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6 tablespoons sugar
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2 teaspoons gelatin
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1 tablespoon orange liqueur
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6 ounces cream cheese, softened
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2 teaspoons orange zest
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2/3 cup heavy cream
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Pomegranate arils
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Orange slices
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Fresh mint leaves
Rich Tart Pastry
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1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
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1/4 cup sugar
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1/2 cup cold butter, cut up
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2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
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1 tablespoon ice water
Directions
Pomegranate-Orange Cream Filling
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Preheat oven to 425°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll Rich Tart Pastry into an 11- to 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 10- to 11-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Press pastry into fluted sides of tart pan; trim edge. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Chill pastry 1 hour.
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Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
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Meanwhile, for the cranberry gelée, in a saucepan combine cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, and 3 Tbsp. of the sugar. Sprinkle gelatin over juice mixture and let stand 5 minutes. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until mixture is just steaming and gelatin has dissolved, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. If necessary, skim off foam. Stir in orange liqueur. Transfer to a small bowl and chill 40 minutes.
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Meanwhile, for filling, in a large bowl beat cream cheese, the remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar, and the orange zest with a mixer on medium until combined. Gradually beat in heavy cream until mixture is light and fluffy.
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Spread filling into cooled tart shell. Cover and chill until gelée is finished chilling.
To achieve a perfectly smooth surface, the gelée mixture should be slightly thickened but still pourable so it flows evenly over the cream cheese layer. If the gelée is not pourable, microwave 5 seconds at a time until its pourable but still thickened.
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Gently pour gelée over chilled filling. Chill until set, 2 hours. Top with pomegranate arils, orange slices, and mint (if using).
Rich Tart Pastry
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In a medium bowl stir together flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until pieces are pea-size. In a small bowl combine egg yolks and ice water. Add egg yolk mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until moistened. Using your fingers, gently knead mixture just until a ball forms. Cover and chill 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
