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Almond Apricot Tart

April 2, 2014 by Nicole 2 Comments

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Almond Apricot Tart | Culinary Cool

There’s a posh little French bakery in town that makes the most wonderful pastries.  I used to work right beside their shop and I found myself in there more often than I would like to admit.  They have all sorts of tarts, danishes and of course macarons.  One morning, I was hoping for a danish or muffin of some sort and all they had left was a petite square pastry sprinkled in almonds with a plump, orange apricot in the middle.  It was love at first bite.  Now, it goes without saying, that buying these little pasties can be quite pricey, so I decided I needed to make something like it at home.  I’ve had this idea sidelined  for awhile, but was instantly reunited with it when I recently bought a cute rectangle tart pan.

Almond Apricot Tart | Culinary Cool

I couldn’t think of a better dessert for the inaugural bake than this almond apricot tart.  The pastry I used is Pâte Sucrée, which has a cookie-like texture and is sweeter than a standard pie pastry.   The recipe for dough provided yields more than what is necessary for this recipe (if using the same pan I used).  The dough freezes remarkably well and you can keep it for up to 3 months in the freezer.  The filling is known as Frangipane.  It’s a sweet almond custard mixed with an almond cream composed of almonds, icing sugar, butter and eggs.   Finally, to top things off, I placed plump apricot halves down the center of the tart and sprinkled with more almonds.

Almond Apricot Tart | Culinary Cool

Whether it be breakfast or dessert, this tart is the main attraction.  I’m an adult and I make my own rules and I totally ate two slices for supper the other night.  Best decision I made all day!

Almond Apricot Tart | Culinary Cool
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Apricot and Almond Tart

Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword Almond, Apricot, Tart
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling 6 hours
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup chilled unsalted butter cut into cubes
  • 3 large egg yolks beaten to combine

For the Filling

  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 of one vanilla bean
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 3/4 cup slivered almonds toasted, plus extra for garnish
  • 1/4 cup icing sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1-14 oz can unpeeled apricot halves
  • honey or agave for brushing the finished tart

Instructions

For the Pastry

  • Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter; cut butter with the flour using a pastry knife, or by using your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  • Add egg yolks and mix with a fork until dough beings to clump together.
  • Shape dough into ball; flatten into a disk.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Dough can made up to 2 days in advance. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out
  • Roll out pastry between two sheets of parchment. Transfer to tart pan with removable bottom.
  • Press crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch; fold in and press, forming double thick sides.
  • Freeze crust until firm; about 30 minutes.

For the Filling

  • Pour milk into small saucepan.
  • Scrape in the seeds from vanilla bean; add bean.
  • Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
  • Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and almond extract in a bowl to combine.
  • Gradually whisk milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return saucepan to heat.
  • Whisk over medium heat until custard thickens and boils, about 2 minutes.
  • Discard vanilla bean.
  • Transfer custard to a bowl and place plastic wrap directly onto surface of custard; cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Combine almond slivers and powdered sugar in a small bowl.
  • With a fork, blend in the butter, then the whole egg and salt.
  • Add this mixture to the cooled custard and mix until well combined.
  • Pour into cooled crust; smooth top.
  • Arrange apricot halves, round side up, atop the filling.
  • Sprinkle with slivered almonds.
  • Bake tart until filling is set and golden, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven.
  • Brush with honey or agave and return to the oven for 3 minutes.
  • Cool tart completely in pan. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate.

Notes

The Pastry recipe makes enough for one 11-inch tart crust. It will also make enough for 2-13x4x1 rectangle tart pans such as the one I used for this recipe.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts

 

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Filed Under: Cakes & Pastry Tagged With: Almond, Apricot, Pate Sucree, Tarts

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Comments

  1. Katrina

    May 30, 2015 at 2:18 pm

    I just made this tart and it was absolutely delicious. Instead of using canned apricots, I poached some fresh ones in a lemon and thyme syrup, then brushed it over the top when it came out of the oven. I love the almond filling – it goes so well with the apricots. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      May 30, 2015 at 11:39 pm

      Im so glad you liked it! That almond frangipane is outstanding and pairs well with most fruit. Poaching the apricots in lemon and thyme is a fabulous idea. I will most definitely have to try it.

      Reply

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I'm Nicole, a cookbook addict, cooking school instructor, travel junkie, and lover of all things sweet.

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