Apricot Tart

Can you handle just one more fruit dessert? Grab some fresh apricots next trip to the market and make this divine tart. My favorite fruit dessert this summer. So far anyway. Of course, like so many of my other favorite pastries, this recipe comes from Pastry Studio. I made it in a rectangular pan with a removable bottom, but you could make it in individual tart pans or a large round one.

I do have one piece of advice: I suggest you follow the directions more carefully than I did for making the crumb base/topping. Do not over mix! I let the machine go a bit too long and got more of a dough than a crumble. Stop the food processor when it's still crumbly. (Not that my tart wasn't delicious anyway but it's supposed to look like this.....a cornmeal CRUMB tart!) You can always do the final tossing by hand.
The tart isn't overly sweet so you might want to have some ice cream or sweetened whipped cream handy for any guests or family with a decided sweet tooth. I loved it just the way it was. I like a tart tart. Hah! You know what I mean.

Apricot Cornmeal Crumb (sort of) Tart
From Pastry Studio

Ingredients for the crumble:

8 fresh ripe apricots

1/4 cup water (yes, I know it doesn't sound like enough, but it is)

1/4 C + 2 T sugar

1/2 vanilla bean (I used 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)

pinch of cinnamon

Ingredients for the filling:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt

6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into small pieces

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sour cream

Method:

Cut the apricots in half and remove the pits. Combine the water and sugar together and bring to a simmer. Split and seed the vanilla bean (or add the vanilla bean paste) and add to the syrup along with the apricots and the cinnamon. Lower the heat to a low simmer and cook the mixture until the apricots start to look a bit like jam but still hold their shape. Take off the heat and pour into a strainer placed over a bowl to drain. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt and place in a food processor. Add the butter pieces and pulse just enough to begin to break the butter up into smallish pieces. Mix the yolks and sour cream together and add to the food processor. Pulse just a few times until the mixture looks like it’s coming together but is still rather crumbly. Do not over mix. Pour into a large bowl and toss gently with your hands.

Place about 2/3 of the dough crumbles into a 9” tart pan with the bottom lined with parchment. Gently spread an even layer to the edges and press lightly without compressing it too much. (Because I had dough at this point and not crumble, I was forced to press it more into a crust and I also pushed it up the sides a bit.) Cover the bottom of the pan completely so there aren’t any holes. Layer the cooled apricots evenly on top, leaving about a little border around the edge. Sprinkle the remaining dough crumble over the top of the apricots. Be sure to spread some out to the edges of the tart pan to form a border. 

Place the tart on a sheet pan lined with parchment and bake for about 35 minutes. Cool completely before removing from the tart pan to serve.