Rustic Apricot Tart
Rustic apricot tart is made of lightly poached apricots, covered with a creamy almond filling which is encased in a crisp buttery pastry case, and topped with a sweet sugar glaze.
8
30 minutes
40 minutes +
170ºC
Ingredients
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Pastry
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175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
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75g cold unsalted butter- cubed
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25g caster sugar
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1 egg- beaten
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Apricots
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1 kg fresh apricots- stones removed, halved
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Apricot Poaching Syrup
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Water- to cover the fruit
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2 tbsp granulated sugar
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Almond Filling
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75g butter- softened
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75g caster sugar
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2 eggs- beaten
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75g ground almonds
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½ tsp vanilla extract
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Glaze
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125g icing sugar- sifted
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2 tbsp apricot syrup- taken from poaching
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Other
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28cm round, loose-bottomed fluted tart tin- lined with large piece of non stick baking paper
Instructions
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Baking preparations:
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01 Pre heat a heavy baking sheet inside the oven to heat up. Line chosen baking tin with non stick baking paper.
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Make pastry:
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02 Using a food processor, pulse the flour and butter together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix in briefly, then add the egg and ½–1 tablespoon of water. Mix until the dough just holds together. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface as thinly as possible, 1–2mm thick and lift carefully into the lined tart tin. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork. Leave in the refrigerator to chill until required.
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Poach fresh apricots:
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03 In a large pan, add water and sugar. Gently dissolve sugar and then bring to the boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Reduce heat, add apricot halves and allow to gently cook 5 minutes. DO NOT OVER COOK. Remove pan from the heat, and leave apricots to cool in the liquid. Keep until required. Plus reserve some syrup for mixing with icing sugar for the glaze.
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Make almond filling:
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04 Place the butter and sugar into a food processor and whizz until creamy, blend in eggs, add ground almonds and vanilla extract. Pulse smooth. Keep for later.
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Assemble to bake:
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05 Arrange the apricot halves over the base of the pastry and spoon the almond mixture on top, spreading it evenly to cover the apricots.
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Bake:
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06 Sit the tart tin on the hot baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 45–50 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the tart is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow cooling in the tin.
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To finish:
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07 Make a glacé icing by mixing together the icing sugar and homemade apricot (poaching) syrup, adding enough syrup to give a pouring consistency and for the icing to hold its shape. Using a spoon, zigzag the icing over the tart and leave to set.
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Serve:
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08 Remove the tart from the tin by lifting out using the non stick paper, and transfer to a serving plate. No problem to serve still wrapped in the baking paper. Serve cold in large slices, topped with plain Greek yoghurt, whipped cream or your favourite ice cream.
Notes
if fresh apricots are not available use 2 x 400g tins apricot halves in natural juice, drained reserving the juice for the glacé icing topping and if time is short, use a 500g pack of shop-bought short-crust pastry.
