Apricot and Almond Tart

Wednesday, 29th August 2012

An old classic of mine which can be made from tinned Apricots but is delicious made with fresh ones at this time of the year.

Ingredients

(for a 12 inch tart or quiche)

Pastry

225g (8 oz.) Flour

110g (4 oz.) Butter

1 Tbs Caster Sugar

1 Whole Egg

Filling

225g (8 oz) Butter (preferably unsalted)

225g (8 oz). Caster Sugar

225g (8 oz) Ground Almonds

4 Eggs

12 fresh Apricots

2 Tablespoons Slivered Almonds or Pine Nuts

4 tbs. Apricot Jam

Method

Blend the butter with the flour and sugar in a food processor. Add in the egg and work until it forms a ball. Chill this in the fridge for 30 mts.

Blend the butter and the sugar for the filling in the bowl of a food processor Until light and creamy. With the motor running drop in the eggs and the ground almonds. Roll the pastry out and use this to line the flan tin. (It is quite difficult to work but patches well).

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 Line the pastry with cling film and weights and bake blind for 15 mts. Remove the cling film and weights and bake for another 5 mts until pale brown and crisp. Pour the almond mixture into this.

Blanch, skin and halve the apricots. Push these into the almond mixture and scatter over the slivered almonds or pine nuts. Bake at the same temperature for about an hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Melt the jam with a little water, sieve and spoon over the top.