Name: Apricot Tart
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: makes 1 tart (24cm / 9 - inch)
Ingredients: 1/2 Tart Dough; 500 g fresh apricots, a bit underripe; 160 g sugar; 1 handful fresh mint; 300 g hazelnuts (or almonds); 250 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature; 1/2 lemon (zest only); 3 eggs; 1 dollop greek yogurt or crème fraîche per slice

Apricot Tart

We have this amazing tree at the back of our house, that is full of apricots every summer. They are so sweet, but sour at the same time, so they kind of form the perfect balance. A couple of days ago we made our Tart dough recipe, which makes 2 tart shells. We baked one for blueberry tart and saved the other for this awesome apricot tart. I improvised a bit with what was in the pantry and I came up with this recipe, which is actually incredibly delicious. Beautiful combination of apricots, hazelnuts and mint.

Ingredients

Apricot Tart

1/2Tart Dough

500 g fresh apricots, a bit underripe

160 g sugar

1 handful fresh mint

300 g hazelnuts (or almonds)

250 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

1/2 lemon (zest only)

3 eggs

serve with

1 dollop greek yogurt or crème fraîche per slice

Tools and equipment

tart pan tart (24cm / 9 - inch)

non-stick frying pan

plastic wrap

kitchen knife

baking tray

blender

bowl

hand electric mixer

METHOD

Tart Crust

Prepare and bake your tart dough. If you are going to bake our Tart dough, you can click on the ingredient on the left and follow the instructions.
Apricots

Wash the apricots under running water then drain well. Cut them in half and remove the kernels. Set a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the apricots with the cut side down. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they get black, they should not be cooked through or softened. Transfer the apricots with the burnt side up to a large plate. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar, cover with mint leaves and wrap in plastic wrap to infuse the mint flavor. Set aside until needed.

Tip

You have to use a non-stick frying pan otherwise your apricots will stick to the pan and you will end up with a mash of apricots.
Roast and Skin your Hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355 °F. To roast the hazelnuts, spread them in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 9 minutes. Take care not to over roast. To remove the skin, wrap warm hazelnuts in a towel and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Rub vigorously in towel. Transfer the hazelnuts to a blender and blitz.
Tart filling

In a bowl, mix together butter, the rest of the sugar, pinch of salt and lemon zest, using a hand electric mixer. Mix for about 5 minutes or until you get a fluffy texture. Separate egg yolks and egg whites. Gradually dd the egg yolks to the butter mixture mixing constantly. Add the hazelnut flour, mix well and refrigerate. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until you get a soft peak.
Bake

Add a third of the egg whites to the butter - hazelnut mixture and combine well, using a spatula. Gently fold the rest of the egg whites. Spread the filling evenly over the bottom of the prebaked tart crust, using a flexible spatula. Remove the mint leaves from the apricots and arrange them to your liking, burnt side up. Bake for about 1 hour at 180°C / 355 °F. Let the apricot tart rest on a wire rack for about 1 hour, this way it will be easier to cut and serve. Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt or crème fraîche. Enjoy.