Simply Apricot Tart. Simplement une tarte aux abricots
For the last few weeks I have been in heaven when visiting my local So-Cal Farmers Market in Temecula.
The fruits stands are loaded with colorful, juicy, delicate summer fruits that I love. I almost is waiting for a whole year to arrive to devour full of flavors apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines… but do you know that the best way to enjoy their full flavors is in tarts! Yes I love Tartes a l abricot (or apricot tart), tarte aux prunes (Plum tart)…
My mother is making the best tarts from scratch and those who have been lucky to taste any of my mother’s tarts know that she would open a bakery shop right at the opening they will be a huge queue in front of the bakery shop. Her pastry and tarts are out of this world.
Again she is making her crust pie from scratch she makes her own Pate feuilletee -puff pastry- and pate brisee pastry dough from scratch, hard for me to compete!
When it comes to the filling she goes to the simplest tastiest thing: fresh fruits, sugar, little of butter and there is not custard or frangipane and voila a tart is born!
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I went to the Farmers market and could not resist to get some apricots. These apricots are organic, locally grown the smallest are the most delicious apricots I have tasted for long time they are from Tretowan Organic Farm in Rainbow CA (I can’t believe than Eva and Ron are selling they farm right now…) and the other ones are from another stand seller but they do not grow the fruits/ veggies themselves they sell them only.
I need to find another small organic farm that will provide me the best apples, plums, jujube fruits, goyaves….
so if you know anyone local please email me.
Anyway the small delicious ones will be eaten as a snack by the entire family and I am going to use the bigger ones (nos as tastier) for my tart, will add sugar, butter and little bit of rosemary from the garden and some crushed almond (from apricot stone)
For crust:
2 Tbsp. ice water, plus more as needed
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
¾ tsp. salt
7 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
For filling:
1 lb ripe apricots
1/3 cup sugar
pinches of salt
Rosemary
optional Almond from apricot stone
To prepare the crust:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 4 Tbsp. ice water and the cider vinegar.
In the bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add the butter, and with you fingers mix until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; there should be no pieces of butter bigger than a pea. slowly add the water, processing just until moist chunk form when you pick up a the dough and squeeze it in your hand, it should hold togetherbut If the dough is a bit dry, add more ice water little by little and if too wet add some flour.
Make a ball with your hands and press it into a disk 1-2 inches thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Before you want to use the dough and rolling out let the dough soften at room temperature
preheat the oven to 375°F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle to be used into a 9-inch tart pan. Transfer the dough gently into pan ( I roll mine on the rolling pan)and press into the pan. Trim the edges to extend about 1 inch beyond the pan; then fold the overhang inward and press again. Place the tart shell into the fridge while you prepare the fruit. Quatered the apricots. Remove the tart shell from the fridge and arrange the fruit inside it, cut side up, in concentric circles, sprinkle sugar, salt, add some rosemary and sprinkle some crushed apricot almonds on it.
Bake the tart until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is soft about 35 minutes or longer.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
