Apricot tart. A simple summer dessert that is the epitome of effortless dining. Sweet-tart apricots are bolstered by eggs, sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and that moreish crumble topping.
One dessert that’s easy to make at home, which the French have adopted from the English, is le crumble. Because I am a home baker, I don’t have any problem turning this into a tart with homemade dough when fresh apricots from Provence become abundant in the Paris markets each summer. The first time I saw a fresh apricot (I had only known the dried ones) was when I was baking in upstate New York in the 1980s. I still take the time to treat the apricots right and make this tart often.–David Lebovitz
HOW LONG WILL AN APRICOT TART LAST?
While David Lebovitz’s apricot tart is a thing of beauty and should be made the day that you plan to serve it, rest assured that your leftovers will last up to 3 more days, in the fridge. Wrap well, or place in a covered container, and store, sneaking forkfuls whenever you please until it’s gone.
Apricot Tart
Roll out a tart shell (made with pure butter), packing the apricots into the filling, and top it all with a crunchy topping of nuts and a dusting of cinnamon. Perfection.
For the apricot tart filling
Make the pastry crust
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Place the chilled butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and let it sit for 10 minutes so it softens slightly.
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Add the sugar to the butter and beat on medium speed just until no visible lumps of butter remain, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and mix just until combined. Then add the flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together. (You can also make the dough in a bowl using a spatula and a little moxie.)
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Coat the bottom and sides of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with butter. Use the heel of your hand to press the dough into the bottom of the pan and a little less than halfway up the sides. Try to get the bottom as even as possible, not because anyone will see it, but because it will bake more evenly. Put the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
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Line the dough in the pan with aluminum foil and a single layer of pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and pie weights or beans and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the tart shell is browned.
Make the crumble topping
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Pulse the almonds, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until the almonds are broken up into very small pieces. Add the butter and pulse just a few times, until the mixture looks sandy. Continue to pulse just until the pieces of butter start clumping together. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the crumble topping by chopping the almonds finely and mixing the ingredients with a pastry blender or by hand.) Cover and refrigerate the crumble topping.
Make the apricot tart filling
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In a bowl, mix the apricots with the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and almond extracts. (Don’t make the filling more than just a few minutes in advance, as the apricots may become too juicy.)
Assemble the apricot tart
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Dump the apricot filling into the tart shell and spread it out evenly. Then strew the crumble topping evenly over the apricots. Bake the tart for about 50 minutes, until the topping is nicely browned. Let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, then run a knife around the outside of the tart to separate it from the pan. Let it rest for 30 minutes more, then remove the sides of the pan and let the tart cool. The edges may look rather dark but should taste fine, not burned. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serving: 1portionCalories: 510kcal (26%)Carbohydrates: 64g (21%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 26g (40%)Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 94mg (31%)Sodium: 300mg (13%)Potassium: 442mg (13%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 37g (41%)Vitamin A: 2800IU (56%)Vitamin C: 11mg (13%)Calcium: 74mg (7%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Originally published August 07, 2014
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