Smoky Apricot Tarts Food

APRICOT TART

Steps:

• , mix the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the sugar and mix for 1 minute.
• Add the egg and 15ml (1 tbsp) of water.
• Mix until the dough comes together.
• Roll the pastry out on a floured surface as thinly as possible, about £1 coin (3mm) thick, and use to line a 28cm (11in) round, loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, making a small lip around the top. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork.
• Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with ceramic baking beans or uncooked rice.
• Place it in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/390°F/gas mark 6.
• Blind bake the pastry in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove the paper and beans, then return the pastry to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.
• When cooked, trim the excess pastry level with the top of the tin. Set aside to cool.
• Reduce the oven's temperature to 150°C/130°C fan/300°F/gas mark 2.
• filling, cream the butter, sugar, flour and almonds together in a food mixer.
• Slowly pour in the egg, while the machine is running, mixing until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Rest the frangipane for 5 minutes.
• Pour the filling into the pastry case and spread it evenly.
• Arrange the apricot halves on top of the filling, skin side up.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
• While the tart is still warm, heat the apricot jam and brush the tart all over with it.
• Let the tart cool down for a few minutes, then remove it from the tin.
• Slice and serve. Enjoy!

APRICOT TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• For caramelising the apricots, you need a small ovenproof frying pan with a base that measures about 20cm/8in in diameter. Put the sugar in the pan and set it over a medium heat. Cook until the sugar first melts and then caramelises and turns golden brown. Don't stir the sugar but swirl it around the pan every now and then.
• Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the butter with a wooden spoon. The caramel will be extremely hot so watch out for splashes and don't dream of tasting it.
• Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes as the caramel cools and thickens. It will look oily and separated to begin with, but will become smooth and toffee-like as you continue stirring. When the caramel is smooth, carefully arrange the apricots on top, cut-side down. Leave to cool for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Unroll the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out until it is 2cm/1in wider. Place a dinner plate or 25cm/10in cake tin on the pastry and cut around it.
• Gently slide the pastry on top of the apricots and push down the sides with a round-bladed knife. Prick the surface to allow steam to escape.
• Bake the tarte tatin for 25 minutes until the pastry is golden-brown and the apricots are cooked. Remove the pan from the oven using an oven cloth to hold the handle of the pan - don't forget - it will be very hot.
• Leave the tart to stand for a couple of minutes to allow it to settle, then loosen the edges and place a large serving plate or board on top of the frying pan. Very carefully, but quickly, turn it over, using a folded dry tea towel to help you hold it, and allow the tarte tatin to drop gently on to the serving plate.
• Serve warm with crème fraiche or ice cream.

ALMOND APRICOT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• To make the frangipane, place the almonds and the sugar in a food processor and grind until sandy. Add the butter and continue mixing then add the egg, vanilla, and the flour and mix until smooth.
• To make the tart, on a floured work surface pass your rolling pin over the pastry just to flatten any ridges.
• Place it on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and cut out a 9-inch disk. Spread the almond frangipane in the center of the tart leaving a 1-inch border. Firmly place the apricot halves into the frangipane spacing them evenly around the tart. Dot the spaces between the apricots with the whole almonds.
• Bake until golden brown on the top and puffy, about 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

APRICOT TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese and flour until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , For filling, in a small saucepan, bring apricots and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain. Add the pecans, sugar, marmalade, cinnamon and cloves; set aside., Shape dough into 24 balls. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups. Spoon filling into cups. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until browned. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For topping, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spoon a dollop onto each tart. Store in the refrigerator.

WARM APRICOT TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll the dough into a 12-inch diameter circle that is about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan by rolling the dough around the rolling pin. Line the tart pan with the dough. Dock the dough and set aside.
• Make the almond cream. Spread a layer of almond cream inside the tart. Pit and quarter the fresh apricots. Arrange them on top of the almond cream by standing them on end. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top of the tart and bake for about 40 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
• Place the almond flour, cake flour and cold butter in the mixing bowl and mix until combined. Add the salt and powdered sugar. Mix until combined. Add the egg and mix until combined. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour to chill dough.
• Roll the dough to the desired size on a lightly floured work surface.
• Baking instructions vary and will be specified in any recipe using this dough. The dough will keep, well wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use. If you want to store the dough already rolled into a tart pan, wrap it in plastic wrap.
• It is possible to buy almond flour (use 1 cup if you do) but it just as easy to make your own. Place the slivered almonds (no skin preferred) and granulated sugar into the food processor. Pulse until the almonds and sugar reach the consistency of flour. It is best to pulse because the heat of the blade will cause the release of the oil from the almonds.
• Mix in the flour. Mix in the butter. Add the egg and mix until the mixture becomes light and creamy. Do not overmix or the gluten in the flour will overdevelop and the almond cream will lose its delicate texture when baked.

FRESH APRICOT TART

Steps:

• To make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Brush a 8-by-11-inch tart pan with removable bottom with butter.
• Place the almonds and 1 tablespoon sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the almonds are finely ground. Add the butter, and process until combined. Pulse in the flour, the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and the almond extract until combined.
• Transfer the crumbly dough to the prepared pan. Using your fingers, pat out dough evenly to make a thin crust along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill the crust 30 minutes.
• Bake crust until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• To make the filling and assemble the tart: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the almond slices in a single layer in a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Shake the pan halfway through baking to make sure the nuts toast evenly. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, almond flour, and baking powder; whisk together. Whisk in the eggs, melted butter, and half-and-half until well combined. Pour the filling into the baked crust.
• Arrange the apricot halves, cut sides up, on top of the filling, packing the fruit closely together. Sprinkle the tops of the apricots with the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the entire tart.
• Bake the tart until the filling is puffed and golden brown, 60 to 70 minutes, rotating the pan after 30 minutes for even browning. Transfer tart to a wire rack to cool. Unmold, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

APRICOT TART WITH PISTACHIO-ALMOND FRANGIPANE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream and egg yolk. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Press over bottom and up sides of 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce crust all over with fork. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• For filling:
• Combine pistachios, almonds, and sugar in processor. Blend until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and blend to paste consistency. Using on/off turns, mix in egg and both extracts. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before using.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake chilled crust until light golden, pressing any bubbles with back of fork, about 18 minutes. Cool crust on rack 15 minutes.
• Spread filling evenly in crust. Arrange apricot halves, cut side down, close together in concentric circles atop filling, fitting in as many as possible. Bake tart until filling is lightly browned and set and apricots are tender, about 55 minutes. Cool tart completely on rack.
• For glaze:
• Combine jam and 2 teaspoons water in heavy small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat 1 minute, stirring constantly. Strain glaze into small bowl. Push up pan bottom to release tart. Place tart on platter. Brush glaze over tart. Sprinkle chopped pistachios around edge of tart. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead; let stand at room temperature.)

APRICOT & RASPBERRY TART

Steps:

• Let the filo come to room temperature for about 10 mins before use. Put a baking tray into the oven and heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Brush each large sheet of filo with melted butter, layer on top of each other, then fold in half so you have a smaller rectangle 6 layers thick. If using small sheets just stack on top of each other. Fold in the edges of the pastry base to make a 2cm border, then spread the apricot conserve inside the border. Carefully slide the pastry base on to the hot baking tray and bake for 5 mins.
• Remove from oven, arrange apricots over the tart and brush with any leftover melted butter. Bake for another 10 mins, then scatter on raspberries and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for a final 10 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

EASY APRICOT TART

Steps:

• First, make the marzipan. Mix both sugars with the ground almonds and vanilla in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Reserve 1 tsp of the beaten egg in a small dish, then tip the rest into the well along with the lemon juice. Mix everything well, then mix in the cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture is spreadable (you may not need all the cream). Chill for 20 mins if it's too warm to spread properly, or greasy. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, then score it lightly around the edges to create a 1.5cm border - be careful not to cut all the way through. Lightly score a diamond pattern over the middle to keep the pastry from rising in the centre during cooking.
• Spread the marzipan over the middle of the pastry, leaving the border clear (see tip, below). Top with the apricots, cut-side down. Brush the border with the reserved beaten egg, then bake for 15 mins. Scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 5-10 mins more until the almonds are golden and the pastry has cooked through.
• Warm the jam over a low heat, then brush it over the apricots. Cut into squares and serve warm with ice cream or cream. Will keep chilled for up to two days.