APRICOT ALMOND TART

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Using puff pastry as a tart pan

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This delicious tart is baked with a moreish almond cream and fresh apricots. And discover my ‘no waste’ method of using puff pastry as a tart pan. Tart rings and baking tins be gone!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 roll or sheet of pre-made pure butter puff pastry (the best quality you can find).

• 500 g (around a pound) fresh apricots or apricots in syrup

• 2 tbsp white sugar to sprinkle over the apricots

For the Almond Cream:

• 100 g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter (softened)

• 100 g (3.5 oz) caster sugar (fine granulated white sugar)

• 100 g (3.5 oz) ground blanched almond (almond meal)

• 80 g (2.8 oz) eggs (less than 2 eggs)

• 1 tbsp all purpose white flour

For the Glazing:

• 3 tbsp apricot jam

• Mixed with 1 tbsp very hot water

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PROCEDURE

1. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature. The butter must be softened (you can microwave it for 5-8 seconds or work it with a rubber spatula).

2. Place the softened butter in a bowl and mix in all of the sugar with a spatula until the ingredients become creamy

3. Incorporate the beaten eggs using a whisk and take care not to over-whisk. IMPORTANT : Ensure the the eggs weigh 80g and no more.

4. Add the almond meal and whisk in followed by the flour.

5. Place the mixture in the refrigerator.

Preparing the Tart:

6. Place a baking sheet on a baking tray and roll out the pastry to cover the sheet. Fold about 1 cm of each side of the pastry inwards to form a sort of parapet.

7. Pour the almond cream on to the pastry and spread evenly over the pastry (if desired, it can be spread under each fold).

8. Quarter the apricots and place them in rows on the cream – leave some space between each quarter to allow the cream to cook properly.

9. Sprinkle sugar on each apricot.

10. Pre-heat a conventional oven to 190C (354F) and bake the tart for 35 minutes.

11. To finish, brush the apricot jam and hot water mix over the tart.

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