Apricot Tart Recipe

This apricot tart recipe is a wonderful way to use some of the bountiful summer apricot harvest.

Ingredients

Crust
4 Tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

Filling
1 lb. ripe apricots
1/3 cup granulatead sugar
1/8 pinches of salt

(Makes 6-8 servings)

Directions

Crust

In a small cup stir together the water and vinegar.

Use a processor to combine the flour, sugar and salt.

Add the butter and pulse to blend until the mixture has a coarse meal texture.

Add the water and vinegar with the processor on slow and process enough to form moist clumps.

Test the texture with your fingers, the dough should hold together. If it seems dry, add a teaspoon of water and pulse again.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured, clean flat working surface and work it with your hands into a ball. Flatten to a 1 1/2 inch circles, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

After the dough has chilled remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to soften to room temperature.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pan with a removable bottom.

You can use a springform pan as well.

Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to make a circle large enough to fit the bottom of the pan and extend up the sides 1/2 inch.

Place the rolled bottom into the pan and gently ease up the sides, pressing down lightly with your fingertips to shape the crust. Fold the overhanging parts inwards and gently press down to reinforce the sides.

Place the shell into the freezer while you prepare the apricots.

Wash the apricots, cut in halves, remove the pits the cut into thin slices.

Place the fruit into a large bow, spring on the sugar and salt and using a rubber spatulas or your hands, gently toss and coat the fruit evenly.

Remove the crust from the freezer and starting from the outside of the shell inwards for a symmetrical pattern of apricots, overlapping them as you go.

Use a spatula to scrape any of the remaining sugar out of the bowl and distribute over the apricots.

Place the tarte into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit has cooked. If it looks like the fruit is browning too much, tent with aluminum foil.

Remove and set on a cooling rack. Let cool before cutting.

Serve with whipping cream if desired.