Instructions

for the crust

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Crush 8 amaretti cookies in small zipper-lock bag until pieces are no larger than ¼ inch (you should have a scant 1 cup). Whisk 1⅓ cups (6⅔ ounces) all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons grated orange zest, ½ teaspoon table salt, and crushed cookies together in large bowl. Add 10 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and ¾ teaspoon almond extract and stir with wooden spoon until dough forms.
Using your hands, press two-thirds of dough into bottom of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press remaining dough into fluted sides of pan. Press and smooth dough with your hands to even thickness. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is deep golden brown and firm to touch, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Remove crust from oven and press bottom and sides gently with bottom of dry measuring cup to flatten any puffing. Set aside until ready to fill (crust needn’t be fully cooled before filling).

for the curd

Whisk ¾ cup (5¼ ounces) sugar, 3 large eggs and 4 large yolks, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon salt together in medium bowl. Heat 1 cup pomegranate juice and 3 tablespoons lemon juice in small saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling, 1 to 2 minutes. While whisking constantly, slowly pour hot juice mixture into egg mixture in bowl. Return juice-egg mixture to now-empty saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened and registers 170 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes.
Immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir in 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, and 8 drops red gel food coloring until fully incorporated. Pass curd through fine-mesh strainer into bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons curd into small bowl and set aside; refrigerate until needed. Pour remaining curd directly into tart shell (you may have extra curd). Bake tart on sheet until edges are set and center jiggles slightly when nudged, 16 to 22 minutes.
Transfer tart on sheet to wire rack and let cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered, until tart is well chilled and firm, about 2 hours. (Tart can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; after 2 hours, cover with inverted bowl to prevent marring surface of tart. Blot away any accumulated moisture with paper towel before decorating and serving.)

for the topping

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip 4 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and reserved 2 tablespoons curd on medium-high speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer running, slowly add ½ cup chilled heavy cream and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. (Topping can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours.)
Remove outer metal ring of tart pan, slide thin metal spatula between tart and pan bottom to release, then slide tart onto platter. Fit large pastry bag with large closed star tip then fill with topping. Pipe topping decoratively over surface of tart as desired. Sprinkle with ¼–½ cup pomegranate arils just before serving.