Apricot Almond Custard Tart
Serves:8
Preparation time: 60 minutes without making the shortcrust pastry
A traditional recipe from the Provence, Tarte aux Abricots à la Crème d'Amande, a delicious and light apricot tart. The intense flavor of apricots combines well with an old-time favorite - baked custard.
Ingredients:
You find the recipe for making shortcrust pastry here. You may also use ready made shortcrust pastry.
Ease shortcrust pastry into a 23 cm (9 inch) removable bottom pie pan. Refrigerate it while preparing the filling.
Filling:
- 200 gr(3/4 cups) dried apricots
- 1 strip of lemon rind
- 200 ml (3/4 cups) heavy cream
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp sugar
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp sliced almonds, lightly toasted
- 1 teasp Vanilla
Preparation:
Place dried apricots and lemon rind in a small bowl. Add boiling water to cover apricots and let them soak for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven for 180°C (375°F) for about 10 minutes.
Remove shortcrust pastry from fridge and line it with baking paper reaching up the sides of the pan. Fill it with baking weights or beans. Bake it blind (middle shelf) for about 30 minutes or until it starts turning gold.
When done, remove from oven and immediately pull paper and weights off the pastry crust. Be careful when removing baking weights, they are very hot and can burn hands. Allow to cool.
Put almonds in a small saucepan and toast them over medium high heat until they start getting golden. Remove from heat and scatter them over a kitchen towels. Let them cool.
Start making the custard. Put cream with the cinnamon in a small saucepan and bring to an almost boil. Remove saucepan from the heat, cover and let cinnamon infuse for about 5 minutes.
In the meantime beat the eggs with the sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Pour cinnamon-cream infusion through a sieve and discard cinnamon. Add infusion to the egg-sugar mix. Add the vanilla. Whip it gently a couple of times until smooth. Set aside.
Remove apricots from water and drain them well. Pat them dry with paper towels. Discard lemon rind. Chop apricots coarsely and scatter them over the baked pastry crust. Pour egg-cream mixture gently over the apricots. Sprinkle almonds on top.
Bake in a 180°C (375°F) oven for about 30 minutes or until the custard is set.
Let apricot custard tart cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.