Apricot-Raspberry Frangipane Tart

(33)
apricot-raspberry-tart-mld108771.jpg
Photo: Johnny Miller
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
4 hrs 10 mins
Yield:
Makes one 10-inch tart; Serves 8 to 10

A custardy almond filling is studded with jewel-like fresh apricots and raspberries in this showstopping tart. It's best eaten the day it's made.

Ingredients

For the Pate Sucree

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 2 tablespoons ice water

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

  • 4 ½ teaspoons sugar

  • Large pinch of fine salt

  • 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Filling

  • 7 ounces almond paste (¾ cup packed)

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, lightly softened

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • cup cake flour (not self-rising)

  • 4 small fresh apricots, quartered, or 8 apricot halves (in juice), each halved and drained on paper towels

  • 1 cup raspberries (20 to 25)

To Finish

  • 2 tablespoons apricot preserves

  • 1 tablespoon water

Directions

  1. Make the pate sucree: Lightly beat together egg yolk and ice water in a small bowl until combined.

  2. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 20 seconds. With machine running, add yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Process until mixture just begins to hold together (no longer than 30 seconds).

  3. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough to a 13-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, folding excess dough into side of pan. Press dough into pan, making sure side is of an even thickness and dough comes up slightly over edge. Trim dough flush with top. Patch any holes or gaps in dough with extra dough if necessary. Using your thumb, press around edge of dough in pan so that dough extends just slightly above rim of pan (to help minimize shrinkage). Prick bottom with fork, and freeze until completely firm, 20 minutes.

  5. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and line tart shell with parchment, pressing parchment deep into corners of pan so it is flush with dough, leaving 3 inches overhang; fold overhang over dough edge so that it is not exposed. Fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake until edge begins to turn golden, about 30 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove weights and parchment.

  6. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Tent edge with foil, and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees.

  7. Make the filling: Meanwhile, beat together almond paste, sugar, and salt with a mixer on medium speed until combined and mixture forms small clumps. Beat in butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Scrape down bowl, and beat in flour until just combined.

  8. Return tart shell to baking sheet. Spread frangipane into cooled tart shell, top with apricots, and scatter with raspberries. Tent edges with foil. Bake until frangipane is puffed and golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool 15 minutes.

  9. To finish: Heat preserves and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until preserves are melted. Pour through a fine sieve into a small bowl, and lightly brush tart with strained preserves. Let tart cool completely.

Cook's Notes

The butter for the frangipane should be about the same firmness as the almond paste so the two combine smoothly; otherwise, you will wind up with lumps of almond paste in your frangipane.

Related Articles