|
|
Apricot and almond tart
1.5 hours prep. 
1.5 hours cooking
Serves 6 |
Ingredients
- 190 g chilled butter, diced
- 3 eggs
- 220 g caster sugar
- Finely grated rind of ½ orange and ½ lemon
- Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- 200 g almond meal
- 100 g plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 5 apricots, halved or quartered, depending on size
- 30 g coarsely chopped almonds
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- 250 g plain flour
- 180 g chilled butter, diced
- Pinch of salt
- 70 ml ice cold water
- 5 apricots, coarsely chopped
- 130 g caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon brandy
- Juice of 1 lemon
Method
- To make the pastry, pulse the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until rough crumbs form but small lumps of the butter still remain. Tip the mixture onto your work bench and make a well in the middle, adding the ice cold water inside. Mix the mixture quickly, using a knife or pastry scraper to combine, then use the heel of your hand to bring the pastry together (there should still be small lumps of butter visible). Once a soft pastry ball is formed wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or so to rest.
- Preheat an oven to 180˚C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured bench to form a 3 mm thick round disc. Line a 23 cm diameter tart tin and press the pastry into the corners and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest. Next trim the edges and prick the base with a fork.
- Meanwhile, for the apricot jam, combine the ingredients in a saucepan and stir over a medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until it becomes thick and pulpy. Spread the jam in the base of the pastry case and set aside.
- To make the filling, cook the butter in a saucepan over a medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it becomes a nut brown colour, occasionally scraping the caramelised bits from the base of the pan, tip the mixture into a metal bowl and refrigerate to cool and thicken slightly. Whisk eggs, sugar, rind and vanilla in an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes thick and pale, add the burnt butter in a steady stream and whisk to combine.
- Fold in the almond meal, flour and a pinch of salt. Spread evenly over the top of the jam, scatter with apricots and chopped almonds and bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours or until golden brown. Once finished baking remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the tin. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraiche.
