Tarte aux Abricots

the Provençal apricot tart: ripe halved apricots arranged on a thin frangipane cream in a blind-baked shortcrust shell, finished with an apricot glaze and a dusting of icing sugar in the manner of the summer pâtisseries of the Luberon and the Var

Origin: Provence, France

From the journey of Apricot.

Provence is the apricot capital of France, and the tarte aux abricots its most characteristic summer pastry. The apricot arrived in southern France through the Moorish transmission from Iberia and by the coastal Arab Mediterranean trade before Iberian contact, and the valley orchards of the Luberon, the Var, and the Durance basin became among the most productive apricot-growing regions in Europe from the sixteenth century onward. The Bergeron, Rouge du Roussillon, and Polonais varieties developed in Provence are still prized by pastry chefs for their balance of sweetness and acidity, which is precisely what the tarte requires. The logic of the tarte is a study in restraint: a thin, barely sweetened shortcrust shell; a shallow layer of frangipane (almond cream) that cushions the fruit and absorbs its juice as it bakes; apricots laid cut side up in a neat spiral that both shows the fruit and retains the cooking juices within the cup of each half; and a final glaze of boiled apricot jam that seals the surface and gives the tart its characteristic amber finish. Nothing else is needed. The frangipane-and-apricot pairing is one of the great pairings of French pâtisserie: the almond amplifies the apricot's own kernel note, and the slight bitterness of both provides a necessary counterpoint to the sweetness of the pastry and glaze.

Ingredients

Pastry

200 g plain flour
100 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
40 g icing sugar, sifted
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp ice-cold water
0.25 tsp fine salt

Frangipane

80 g unsalted butter, softened
80 g caster sugar
80 g ground almonds
1 whole egg
1 tbsp plain flour
0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Fruit

900 g ripe but firm apricots (approximately 12–14), halved and stoned

Glaze

3 tbsp apricot jam, for glazing
1 tbsp water (to thin the glaze)

Method

Make the pastry: rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and salt, then mix in the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring the dough together. Pat into a flat disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan. Roll the pastry to 3–4 mm thickness and use it to line a 24 cm loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing carefully into the corners. Chill again for 10 minutes. Blind-bake with baking paper and weights for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for a further 5 minutes until pale gold.
Make the frangipane: beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then fold in the ground almonds, flour, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Spread the frangipane in an even layer in the blind-baked shell, no more than 1 cm deep. Arrange the apricot halves cut side up over the frangipane in concentric circles, pressing them gently into the cream so they sit firmly.
Bake for 25–30 minutes until the frangipane is set and golden and the apricots have softened and begun to caramelise at their edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
Warm the apricot jam with the tablespoon of water in a small pan until liquid. Pass through a sieve to remove any lumps, then brush over the surface of the warm tart generously, covering the fruit and any exposed frangipane. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Notes

The Provençal versions of this tart often include a few drops of bitter almond extract in the frangipane, which amplifies the apricot's own kernel note and gives a slightly more assertive almond character. If your apricots are very ripe or tend to release a lot of juice, dust the blind-baked shell with a thin layer of ground almonds before spreading the frangipane: this absorbs excess juice and prevents a soggy base. Serve at room temperature with a jug of thin cream or a quenelle of crème fraîche.

The Gastrographer

Name: Tarte aux Abricots
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour; 100 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed; 40 g icing sugar, sifted; 1 egg yolk; 2 tbsp ice-cold water; 0.25 tsp fine salt; 80 g unsalted butter, softened; 80 g caster sugar; 80 g ground almonds; 1 whole egg; 1 tbsp plain flour; 0.5 tsp vanilla extract; 900 g ripe but firm apricots (approximately 12–14), halved and stoned; 3 tbsp apricot jam, for glazing; 1 tbsp water (to thin the glaze)

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control