French Apricot & Almond Tart
by de Cuisine

Every French Pâtisserie displays these delicious, stunning tarts and they are surprisingly easy to make. Fresh apricots have a slight tartness, which make a lovely contrast, but you can use tinned apricots when they are out of season.

This dessert makes an eyecatching centrepiece for any special occasion.

We used a 27cm (10½”) loose-based Continental Flan, but you could make individual tarts or reduce the recipe for a smaller tart. Recipe serves 10.

Pastry
250g (8oz) plain flour
125g (4oz) butter or margarine, chilled & diced
3 tbs icy cold water

Crème Pâtissière Filling
3 eggs
90g (3oz) caster sugar
60g (2oz) plain flour
400ml (14 fl oz) milk
Vanilla extract
1 tbsp Cointreau or brandy

Topping
1kg (2lbs) fresh apricots, halved and stoned
Juice of 1 lemon
125ml (4fl oz) water
75g (2½oz) caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp Cointreau or brandy
30g (1oz) toasted flaked almonds

Make the pastry by hand or in a food processor

By Hand
Aerate the flour by sifting the flour and salt together, through a sieve into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter or margarine and using only your fingertips, lightly rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle on the cold water, a little at a time, and using a rounded knife tip, mix to form a stiff dough, which will leave the bowl cleanly. (You may not need to use all of the water or may need a few extra drops.)

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it a little to make it smooth and even. Wrap it in Clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes – this prevents shrinking during cooking.

Using a Food Processor
The secret here is to not over-process and overheat the pastry, which makes it oily. The metal blade should be used. Sieve the flour and salt into the bowl of the processor and mix by pulsing 2 or 3 times.

Add the cold butter or margarine and pulse or run at medium speed until the mixture just forms fine crumbs (about 5 – 10 seconds)

With the processor running slowly, add the cold water, a tablespoon at a time, through the feed tube – the mixture should just bind together in less than a minute. Don't over-process and stop immediately the mixture forms a ball.

If the mixture doesn't bind, add a little extra cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it binds. Remove the dough from the bowl; wrap it in Clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes– this prevents shrinking during cooking.

Now place a baking sheet in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas 4).

Baking the Pastry Cases
The pastry case is “baked blind”, that is, it is baked before it is filled. This prevents the filling soaking into the pastry and keeps the base crisp. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use it to line the flan tin. Prick the bottom with a fork to allow any trapped air to escape during baking. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and carefully fill with baking beans.

Place in the preheated oven on the baking sheet and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until the pastry is set and the rim is golden. Carefully lift out the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack and leave in the tin.

Preparing the Crème Pâtissière Filling
Put the eggs, sugar and plain flour into a mixing bowl and add a little of the milk. Using a whisk, mix until smooth. Pour the remaining milk into a saucepan; heat to almost boiling and then pour into the bowl of mixture. Continue to whisk and then return to the saucepan. Place over a gentle heat and stir continuously until thickened.

Remove from the heat and mix in a few drops of vanilla extract to taste and the Cointreau or brandy. Pour into a bowl and press Clingfilm onto the surface of the crème pâtissière to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool.

When cool, spread the filling out smoothly with a spatula in the pastry case.

Preparing the Topping
Place the apricots, cut side down in a large saucepan with the lemon juice, water and sugar. Replace the lid, bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 3-4 minutes, until soft. Carefully remove the apricots with a slotted spoon, allowing the juice to drain back into the pan. Place them on kitchen roll and leave to cool.

Mix the Cointreau or brandy with the cornflour in a small bowl to a smooth paste and add to the apricot/lemon juice in the saucepan. Bring back to the boil and heat, stirring continuously until thickened. Add a little extra water if too thick.

Finishing Off
Arrange the apricots cut-side down on the crème pâtissière filling and then spoon over the hot topping, making sure that all of the apricots are fully coated. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the tart and leave to stand until cool. Remove from the tart tin by standing on a small bowl and gently ease the body down from the pastry. Carefully slide the tart off the tin base onto a serving plate.

Serve cold with cream or crème fraîche.