Description
Source NY Times
Ingredients
FOR THE PASTRY
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 2 1/4 cups flour, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
FOR THE FRANGIPANE
- 7 ounces whole blanched almonds, a bit more than a cup
- 1 cup light brown sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise and scraped, pulp reserved and pod discarded
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 6 medium or 8 small ripe but firm apricots, halved and pitted
- Crème fraîche or whipped cream, for serving*
* This recipe definitely needs something like crème fraîche or whipped cream. I made homemade crème fraîche, which couldn’t be simpler or more fun: Place 2 cups heavy cream in bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt or 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. Stir. Mixture will be nice and thick. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Instructions
- To make the pastry: in the bowl of a food processor, combine the butter, flour and salt. Pulse until the mixture resembles very fine bread crumbs. Add the confectioners’ sugar, egg yolk and 2 tablespoons chilled water, and pulse a few times to bring the mixture together. Pour onto a work surface and knead the dough sparingly until smooth, being careful not to overwork it. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- To make the frangipane: In a food processor, grind the almonds to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl. In the food processor, combine 1 cup brown sugar, butter, and vanilla pulp. Process until light and fluffy, then with motor running add the flour and the eggs. Add the ground almonds and pulse to mix evenly. Set aside at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature and stir before using.
- To assemble: Lightly flour a cool work surface and roll the pastry into a large disk about 1/4-inch thick. Press into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable base and trim the edge. Chill at least 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 325 degrees with a large baking sheet on the middle rack. Spread frangipane in the chilled tart pan, and nestle the apricot halves evenly on top, cut sides up. Sprinkle each half with about 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar. Place the tart on the baking sheet and bake until golden, and set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. If the top appears to be browning too fast, cover loosely with foil.
- Trim any baked overflow to loosen the edge of the tart. Press up the bottom of the pan to loosen the sides and cool the tart in the pan on a wire rack. When completely cool, serve with crème fraîche or whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours 15 minutes