Apricot Frangipane Tart
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A classic French recipe with a cardamom and orange twist plus different fruit alternatives to extend the recipe throughout the summer.
Serves:8 people
Equipment
- 1 23 cm loose-based fluted tart tin
Ingredients
Pastry
- 175 g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp fine grated, dried orange zest optional - you can use fresh orange zest *see notes
- 2 tbsp ground almonds/flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 50 g golden caster sugar
- 100 g cold butter - cubed
- 2 egg yolks whisked with a tbsp of iced water
Apricot Marinade
- 6 large apricots **see notes for alternative fruit options
- 1 generous tbsp pourable honey
- ¼ tsp cardamom optional
- 2 tbsp Marsala or Vin Santo optional - use a little orange juice instead of alcohol
Frangipane
- 125 g room temperature butter, cut into cubes
- 100 g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 120 g ground almonds (almond meal)
- 50 g all-purpose flour
Makes: 23cm round
Instructions
Marinade
- Marinate the quartered apricots in the honey-and-Marsala mixture.
Pastry
- Put the flour, salt, butter, and icing sugar in a food processor and whizz until you have fine breadcrumbs. If you make the pastry by hand, first rub the flour and butter together and then add the sugar.
- Add the egg yolk mixture and process until the dough comes together. Don't overwork. Add a little more water if necessary.
- Rest for 20 minutes in the fridge and pre-heat the oven to 160 °C
Frangipane
- Make the frangipane while the pastry is resting.
- Whizz the almonds in a food processor until you have fine breadcrumbs. Be sure to use freshly opened almonds and taste one to be sure. Stale almonds will ruin the frangipane. The same applies to ready-made ground almonds.
- Whisk the butter and sugar until light and creamy, using a handheld mixer or a food processor. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla essence, ground almonds and finally, the flour. You should have a light, creamy, spoonable mixture.
Assembling the Tart
- Grease the tin. Roll out the pastry and line the tart tin. Don't worry if it tears—patch it with spare pastry. Prick the tart base all over with a fork.
- Spoon the frangipane in and smooth it with a spatula.
- Place the apricot quarters in the frangipane in one or two circles - skin side up. Lightly brush the apricot quarters with the marinade
- Bake on the middle shelf for 35-40 minutes. My oven errs on the hot side, so I like to bake it at 160 °C
- Check the tart at 25 minutes and increase the temperature if necessary. It should take no longer than 40 minutes.
- Serve warm or cold with cream, mascarpone or ice cream. Decorate with icing sugar or flaked almonds, or both!
Notes
*Dried Orange Zest: I like to keep a jar of ground, dried orange zest. Be sure it is completely dry before storing, or it will go mouldy. It gives a lovely flavour to baked goods. Simply dry the orange (or lemon) peel and grind it in a food mill or coffee grinder. Store in a sealed jar.
**Alternative Fruit Options: Summer-stoned fruits such as peaches, nectarines, cherries, or plums all work well. Later in the season, use figs, apples, or pears. De-stone all fruit and cut into quarters. Halve the cherries and marinate in brandy or cherry brandy. Thinly slice apples or pears, and toss in lemon juice, brandy or Calvados.
The recipe is inspired by Audrey's recipe from her lovely website, Pardon Your French.
Tried this recipe?Mention @thewildepicurean or tag #thewildepicurean
