This Apricot Frangipane Tart is an amazing Summer dessert. It combines a crunchy Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (Pâte Sucrée), flavourful Almond Cream Filling and fresh Apricot Slices.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), mix together the soft Butter and Icing Sugar on medium speed for a couple of minutes or until completely smooth.
Add the Egg and Almond Meal and mix until well combined, stopping to scrape the side of the bowl when required. Add sifted flour and salt and mix on low speed, stopping as soon as a rough dough comes together (see note 1).
Bring together into a ball, place between two large sheets of baking paper (parchment paper) and roll into a large disk that is about 4mm (1/6 inch) thick. Transfer over a flat tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Peel of the baking paper and transfer the pastry over a 24 cm (9,5-inch) tart tin with removable bottom. Gently press the pastry down into the corner of the tart tin to create a 90 degree angle (see note 2). Cut off any excess with a small pairing knife.Place back in the fridge chill and rest for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight (or for up to 24 hours).
Preheat your oven on 160 degree Celsius / 325 degree Fahrenheit. Dock the pastry (prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork) and place the pastry in the freezer while the oven is preheating. Par-bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom feels dry to the touch. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool down completely.
Almond Cream Filling
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, cream the very soft Butter and Sugar medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until very soft, creamy and increased in volume.
Slowly mix in Eggs (preferably pre-whisked in a separate bowl) and optionally the vanilla paste until you get a smooth paste (see note 3), then mix in the Almond Meal. You should get a thick, coarse paste.
Spread the almond cream into an even layer at the bottom of the cool par-baked tart pastry (see note 4).
Toppings
Wash then cut the apricots in half, remove the stone and cut each apricot half into 3 slices. Slightly press each apricot slice into the almond cream and create two rings of apricots. Generously sprinkle with slivered almonds.
Bake at 160 degree Celsius / 325 degree Fahrenheit for 40 to 50 minutes or until the almond filling is puffed and golden. Place on a wire rack to cool down.
Optionally, place some apricot jam in a small bowl and slightly heat up in the microwave (see note 5). Brush the warm apricot jam over the cooked apricots and the almond filling.
Video
Notes
Optionally, do a "fraisage" (or "frasage") to finish combining the pastry: with the palm of your hand, gently press the dough against your kitchen table and move it forward. Pick it back up and place back over the centre of the pastry. Keep on going until the dough is very smooth.
If the pastry cracks, you can patch it up with your fingertips. If the pastry is too hard to be easily handled, leave it to come back to room temperature for a few minutes. If it gets too soft, place back in the fridge for a few minutes.
If the mixture seems to curdle at this point, it usually means that your butter wasn't soft enough. Don't worry, it will come back together once you add the almond meal.
I like to use a pastry bag fitted with a large round piping tip to insure I get an even layer of cream, but that is optional.
If the jam appears to be rather thick, you can mix in a drop of water to thin it out.