Almond and Apricot Tart

Submitted by Zurie

"This is an old South African favourite, often made for the small Home Industry outlets and for our numerous interesting roadside "farm stall" coffee shops, where good preserves, breads and bakery goods are often for sale. If you like almonds, this is for you."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Yields: 1 tart

ingredients

• Base

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces butter, soft
• 4 tablespoons superfine sugar (castor sugar)
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Filling

• 1⁄2 cup apricot jam, smooth (or whizz in small blender till smooth)
• 1⁄4 lb butter
• 1⁄2 cup superfine sugar (castor sugar)
• 2 eggs, very large
• 1⁄2 teaspoon almond essence
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 4 tablespoons cake flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated (usually zest of 1 lemon)

• Optional tart topping

• 14 ounces apricot halves, drained

directions

1. Preferably use a tart tin (9" or 24 cm) with loose bottom -- the type with the corrugated sides. Grease well. An ordinary tart plate can also be used.
2. Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until you have a crumbly mixture. Add the soft butter, egg yolks and vanilla, and knead the dough until smooth. Press it into the greased tart tin and prick the bottom with a fork.
3. Preheat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg Celsius.
4. Chill the crust in fridge for about 30 minutes. Put baking paper in the crust, weigh down with raw rice or beans, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking paper and rice/beans, and bake about 8 minutes longer or until crust is golden. Cool slightly.
5. Spread the smooth apricot jam (not sure if the US still calls it jelly!) over the base.
6. With an electric beater whisk the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs one by one, as well as the almond and vanilla essence, whisking well, until you have a light, pale and creamy mixture.
7. Whisk in the almonds, flour, salt and lemon zest. Spread this mixture over the jam base.
8. Bake about 25 minutes, until the filling is pale brown and set. (The baking time can vary, so check the tart. It might need 5 minutes longer).
9. If using, arrange the drained apricot halves, round side up, on the tart.

Reviews

[Studentchef]

This was soooo good! It was alot easier to make than I thought it would be, simply because I was a little intimidated by the list of ingredients. But once I was able to put the crust aside and focus on the filling, it became easier and enjoyable. I did add the optional topping, because I really love apricots (both fresh and dried).