I had my doubts about this tart. Orange desserts are definitely not at the top of my list. I don’t drink soda and I’ve never been crazy about Creamsicles. Plus there are a lot of steps to putting the tart together. It needs time to chill at various points in the recipe and is probably best to get most of it made up the day before, whipping up the topping just before serving.

The filling gets thickness from eggs and gelatin (this isn’t a vegetarian tart). I used Henry Weinhard’s Orange Cream Soda, and had a little sip before I added it to the filling. Yum. Orange cream soda is a different animal than Orange Crush. The tart dough also has a bit of orange zest in it, but not overpowering. And it’s only slightly finicky and baked up really beautifully. The topping is absolutely delicious, with just the right amount of orange cream soda and sugar added.

We’re surprised and delighted to find how much we like this. It would make a great dessert for a dinner party – easy to do ahead, and unique so it won’t be forgotten.

I baked this tart as part of the Baked Sunday Mornings baking group. To see the other entries and get the recipe, head on over to Baked Sunday Mornings.

• Orange Creamsicle Tart (Baked Explorations, p, 74)