Apricot Gâteau Pithiviers Food

APRICOT GâTEAU PITHIVIERS

Steps:

• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in the egg and egg yolk. Stir in the almonds, flour and liqueur, and mix well to a spreadable paste.
• Roll out half the pastry and, using a sharp knife, cut out a circle approximately 25cm in diameter (use a dinner plate as a guide). It should be about the thickness of 2 x £1 coins. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out another circle, slightly larger than the first. If you're using ready-rolled pastry, cut a circle from each sheet and freeze what's left.
• Place the smaller circle on a baking tray and top with half the almond filling, leaving a 2.5cm border round the edge. Spread the apricots over, then put the rest of the filling on top. Brush the border with beaten egg and set the remaining pastry circle on top, pressing the edges firmly together.
• With the back of a knife, score lines round the outer edge of the pastry. Now press the back of the knife 1cm into the pastry edge at regular intervals to give a scalloped appearance. Brush the top with more beaten egg and score curved lines radiating from the centre of the circle. Take care not to cut through the pastry. Chill for 20 mins. The tart can be made ahead and frozen at this point or kept in the fridge for 2 days.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Bake for 30-35 mins until puffed and golden. Leave to cool on a baking tray. To glaze, melt the jam in a small pan and pass through a sieve. Then brush over the pastry.

APRICOT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Mix 2 1/2 cups of flour and the salt in a bowl; cut the shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. Using a fork, mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball. Working on a floured work surface, roll each ball out into a crust big enough for a 9-inch pie dish with an inch or so to spare. Carefully lift a crust, fold into quarters, position into pie dish, and unfold the crust. Set the other crust aside.
• Mix the sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined; stir in the lemon juice and apricots. Spoon the apricot filling over the pie crust in the dish, and top with the reserved crust. Crimp the edges of the crusts together with a fork, cut away the excess crust, and cut slits into the pie to allow steam to escape. Cover the edges of the pie crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning.
• Bake on center rack of the preheated oven until the pie is browned and the filling is bubbling and thickened, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool and sprinkle top with 1 teaspoon of sugar.