APRICOT-MARZIPAN TART

Apricot-Marzipan Tart image

Yield makes one 9-inch (23-cm) tart; 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

Dough
1 cup (140 g) flour
1/2 cup (40 g) sliced unblanched almonds
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces/115 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch (1.5-cm) pieces and chilled
1 large egg yolk
Filling
1/2 cup (70 g) flour
1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
3 ounces (85 g) almond paste, crumbled
1/4 cup (20 g) sliced unblanched or blanched almonds
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch (1.5-cm) pieces and chilled
12 to 14 fresh apricots (about 1 1/4 pounds/565 g)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

Steps:

To make the dough, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the 1 cup (140 g) flour, 1/2 cup (40 g) sliced almonds, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, and the salt until the nuts are finely ground. Add the chilled butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk and process until the dough comes together.
Transfer the dough to a 9-inch (23-cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. (There's no need to wash the bowl of the food processor-you'll need it again to make the filling.) Using your hands, press the dough as evenly as possible into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate the dough-lined tart pan until the dough is firm, at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Set the tart pan on a baking sheet and prick the dough about a dozen times with a fork. Bake the tart shell on the baking sheet until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. If it puffs up during baking, press it down with the back of a metal spatula. Let cool while making the filling. Decrease the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
To make the filling, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse together the 1/2 cup (70 g) flour, brown sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup (20 g) sliced almonds until the almond paste is broken into fine pieces. Add the 4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60 g) chilled butter and pulse until the butter pieces are about the size of corn kernels. Set aside.
Halve, pit, and cut the apricots into 1/2-inch (1.5-cm) slices. In a large bowl, toss the apricots with the cornstarch and 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar. Distribute the apricot slices in the tart shell and sprinkle them evenly with the almond mixture. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Serve the tart warm or at room temperature.
Variations
For RASPBERRY, APRICOT, AND MARZIPAN TART, add 1 cup (5 ounces/135 g) raspberries to the apricots. To make PLUM-MARZIPAN TART, substitute plums for the apricots and increase the cornstarch to 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon.