09 Jun Apricot Tart
| Serves 4 to 6 1 egg “beaten” for glazing | Preheat oven to 425°F Start by lightly greasing a baking sheet with butter or an oil of your choice. Then, unroll the pastry and cut out a 10 inch circle. The extra pastry must be re-rolled and cut into 4 strips of approximately ¾ of an inch wide by 10 inches long. Place the pastry circle on the greased sheet and prick the middle area several times with a fork; do not prick a 1 inch border around the outside of the circle. Brush the un-pricked border with the beaten egg. Now, separately place the 4 pastry slips diagonally across the circle. That is, just cross the strips across the circle and pinch them up on each end. If there is extra on the ends, cut it off and discard. These strips play an interesting role in this dish. Basically, during the baking process, they puff up to form a barricade or pastry wall to support the fruit. At this point, brush the beaten egg all over the circle, hitting the strips’ pricked areas and the un-pricked areas, too. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and all edges (including the strips) have risen. While baking, cut open each apricot, remove the pits, and slice to 6 pieces. In addition, crack open 6 of the apricot pits and remove the kernels and set them aside. After the quick bake, remove the pastry from the oven and do another prick with a fork. It is time to place the apricot pieces all over the pasty with the flesh side up. Then, scatter the pit kernels all over the top. In a small bowl, place the jam and lemon juice before stirring until a smooth mixture is obtained. Use the pastry brush to cover all the fruit with this smooth glaze. Finally, sprinkle vanilla sugar all over the top. Place the dish back in the oven for about 20 more minutes or until the apricots become brown at the tips, soft, and fragrant. This dish is best served warm. Diva Tips: • Sifted confectioners’ sugar may be dusted over the top before serving. |
