Apricot Tart

Well folks we made it to summer. Whew! I hope this email finds you well. The last few months have been humbling in so many ways and the long pause was such a huge opportunity for reflection without so many of the day to day distractions that normally take place in our lives. The presence of Covid and how it has changed our lives and world is all consuming for me, aside from my families health and safety being my top priority, I can’t help but think of all the people that it has impacted and it is something I really struggle with. Compounded with the Black Lives Matter movement and reading, learning and educating myself in all ways possible about the disparities and inequities that have affected so many POC. I’m thankful their experiences are being told and more people are offering up platforms for people to be heard. Hopefully everyone is taking time and holding space in their hearts for people who are suffering and trudging through these challenging times. Some interesting, educating and eye opening things I’ve been listening to are The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones she is a brilliant journalist and I implore you to listen to the entire series. Another gem is The Cataclysm Sentence its compelling hearing the perspective of a world famous physicist and that of writers, artists and historians of our time. Great food for thought for all of us.

Another thing I learned during the shelter in place, is homeschooling is not my cup of tea, I did it with a smile on my face (most days) but this whole experience has put an entirely new spin on teacher appreciation. I’m sure so many other parents are on the same page, teachers are super human. I will never take them for granted again. In-between hovering over math and reading assignments to make sure they were completed I was able to bake, cook and even sometimes take a few pictures. This tart has been on my list for sometime and apricots nestled in frangipane is always a good idea. The pastry is delicious and requires no rolling pin. Also this is a recipe from Diana Henry one of my all time favorite cookbook authors and writers, she also writes for the Guardian if you feel inclined to look up more of her recipes. Give this bake a try and let me know your thoughts.

Lx.

Apricot Tart

Adapted by How To Eat A Peach, Diana Henry

Ingredients

Pastry

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup ground almonds

sea salt flakes

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 medium egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon amaretto

Frangipane

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon amaretto

1/4 cup blanched almonds freshly ground

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Filling

2 1/4 pounds ripe apricots halved and pitted

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup sliced almonds

confectioners sugar to dust

Preparation

To make the pastry, mix the flour, sugar, ground almonds and a pinch of salt in a food processor for a few seconds. Add butter and mix again until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Add egg yolk and amaretto . Blend again until the mixture forms a ball. Form this into a round log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

For frangipane, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy . Gradually add the egg, beating well. Add the amaretto and stir in almonds and flour.

For the pastry, cut the chilled log into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Put these, overlapping, into a loose bottomed 9 inch tart pan, also lining sides with pastry. Press pastry into shape making it as even as possible, sometimes I use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to press pastry evenly, have the sides be a little thicker than the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about 20 minutes, to help stop the pastry from shrinking when baking. After chilling pastry, spread frangipane over the bottom of the tart, it won’t look like there’s enough of it, but it puffs up.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Toss the apricot halves with sugar. Lay them almost vertically and slightly overlapping, on top of the frangipane. They will shrink during cooking. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove tart from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Sprinkle with the almonds and dust with confectioners’ sugar, then return the tart to the oven for a further 45 minutes.

Let cool at room temperature, then transfer to a plate. Dust with a little more confectioners’ sugar. This is best served the day it is made.