Tarte au chadeck
Background
A classic French-style tart with Caribbean soul, tarte au chadeck celebrates a beloved pomelo-like citrus found across the French Antilles. In Creole markets you’ll see baskets piled high with chadeck, prized for its perfumed zest and pleasantly bittersweet flesh. This tart pairs a crisp pâte sucrée with a silky citrus curd that captures the fruit’s floral aroma and gentle tang, a style influenced by French patisserie yet grounded in island produce. The result is bright and refreshing, with the generous segments and zest of chadeck showcased in a way that balances sweetness, acidity, and delicate bitterness.
Ingredients
- chadeck: 1 large fruit (zest, juice, and segments)
- all-purpose flour: 250 g
- unsalted butter: 125 g, cold and cubed
- powdered sugar: 90 g
- granulated sugar: 80 g, plus extra to macerate segments
- fine sea salt: 1/2 tsp
- vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- large eggs: 2
- egg yolks: 2
- heavy cream: 180 ml
- cornstarch: 2 tbsp
- water: 60 ml, for blanching zest
- dark rum (optional): 1 tbsp
Preparation and cooking
Prep the fruit
Scrub the chadeck, then finely zest about half of it and peel to release the segments, catching any juice. To soften the zest’s bitterness, bring the water to a gentle simmer, add the zest, and blanch for 1 minute; drain and repeat if you prefer it milder. Toss the segments with a teaspoon of granulated sugar and, if using, a splash of dark rum; let stand for 10 minutes to draw out fragrant juices. Reserve all juice from the chadeck.
Make the crust
Whisk the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and fine sea salt in a bowl. Cut in the unsalted butter until the mixture looks like damp sand with a few pea-size bits. Beat 1 of the large eggs with the vanilla extract, drizzle into the bowl, and mix just until a dough forms. Flatten into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Blind-bake
Heat the oven to 180°C. Roll the dough, line a 23 cm tart pan, trim, and dock. Chill the lined shell for 15 minutes. Line with parchment and fill with weights; bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool slightly.
Cook the filling
In a saucepan, whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of fine sea salt. Whisk in the reserved chadeck juice and blanched zest, followed by the heavy cream, 1 of the large eggs, and the egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and just starting to bubble, about 6 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the unsalted butter until smooth and glossy, then gently fold in chopped chadeck segments (pour off any excess syrup of granulated sugar and dark rum first).
Fill and set
Pour the filling into the warm shell and smooth the top. Bake at 160–170°C until the center has a slight wobble, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a rack for 1 hour, then chill until fully set, at least 2 hours.
Serving and storage
Dust the surface with a veil of powdered sugar. For a subtle aromatic lift, brush lightly with a teaspoon of dark rum. Serve chilled or just cool; the floral brightness of chadeck pairs perfectly with a dollop of softly whipped heavy cream. Leftovers keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.