Tarte Bergere Aux Abricots Apricot Tart Bergere Food

TARTE AUX ABRICOTS - GLAZED FRENCH APRICOT TART WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6. To make the pastry place the cold butter into a food processor with the sieved flour and lemon zest. Blitz until the mixture becomes the texture of breadcrumbs.
• Whisk the sugar into the egg then pour into the machine with a splash of water. Blitz just long enough for the mixture to form a ball. Remove with your hands and ensure you have a nice firm ball by moulding with your hands. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for at least an hour.
• Meanwhile halve and stone your apricots then place on a baking tray cut side up. Sprinkle all over with the light brown sugar then bake them in the oven for 15-20 minutes until they are soft to the point of a knife but not falling apart.
• Roll out and line a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin with the pastry. Chill again for ideally an hour but a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Once rested prick all over the base with a fork then line with parchment paper and follow with baking beans. Bake blind for 15-20 minutes until the base is just beginning to crisp but has not browned. Remove the beans and allow to cool.
• Sprinkle the ground almonds all over the base then top with a layer of apricots. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy. Remove the vanilla seeds from the pod and whisk into the egg mixture along with the double cream or whipping cream.
• Place the tart onto a baking tray then carefully pour over the custard mixture. Place in the oven for 15 minutes then lower the heat to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4 for a further 15-20 minutes when the custard should be set and a lovely golden colour.
• For the Glaze: Warm the jam and allow to cool just above room temperature and then pour or spoon it over the tart.
• Allow to cool before slicing and serving with crème fraîche, plenty of icing sugar and some edible flowers.

LE TARTE AUX POIRES

Steps:

• Roll out pastry to fit greased and floured 8-inch flan ring. Store in refrigerator to keep cool. Cream together butter and sugar until light. Gradually beat in eggs, then flour. Fold in almonds and Kirsch, until well incorporated.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove pears from soaking liquid, and set aside. Brush base of pastry with 1 tablespoon apricot jam. Pour frangipane evenly into flan ring. Arrange pears in a circle on top of the filling. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, slowly heat together remaining jam, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil and reduce until thickened. Brush on hot tart. Serve once cooled.
• Place flour in medium bowl. Cut in butter and mix in sugar, until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Mix in egg, until pastry is just combined but still crumbly. Chill until ready to use.

TARTE BERGERE AUX ABRICOTS: APRICOT TART BERGERE

Steps:

• Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• For the dough, combine 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. Cut butter into 12 pieces and add. Pulse repeatedly until butter is mixed in finely. Add 3 eggs and continue to pulse until dough forms a ball. Wrap and chill dough while preparing filling.
• Rinse, stem, halve and pit the apricots. Combine the 3/4 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons flour and pinch of salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Whisk in the 6 eggs, 2 at a time, then whisk in the cream and vanilla. Cut off 2/3 of the dough. Roll it on a floured surface and use it to line a 10-inch round prepared pan. Trim dough even with top rim of pan. Arrange the apricot halves, skin side down, slightly over-lapping, and in concentric circles, in the dough-lined pan. Pour the cream and egg mixture over the apricots.
• For the top crust, roll remaining dough to a 8 by 10-inch rectangle and cut into ten 3/4-inch by 10-inch strips. Arrange 5 strips on the filling, then arrange another 5 strips diagonally to the first ones to form a lattice. Trim ends of dough even with rim of pan.
• Bake the tart for about 1 hour, until the pastry is baked through and the filling is set. Plunge the point of a thin knife into the center of the tart, it should emerge fairly clean. Cool the tart on a rack and serve it at room temperature.