Apricot-Almond Tarts
A quick tiny little post before i leave for Asia. Delicious apricot and almond tartelettes with fresh apricots from Frog Hollow Farms in Brentwood California (pronounced Frogolo when you’re cursed with a French accent). If you’re not familiar with this organic farm you should definitely check out their website. In my opinion Frog Hollow Farms produces some of the best stone fruits in the US, and it’s grown under the expert supervision of Farmer Al (he’s the dude who looks like Will Ferrell in overalls). Everything from cherries to peaches and plums is always spot-on and i don’t recall being ever disappointed in the many years i’ve been using them. That’s where i get all my fruit this early in the season, it’s only later in the summer we get it from Big Bossman orchards in the Hamptons (remember all the jammin’ last summer?). The fruit we grow in the Hamptons isn’t bad either, but nothing.. NOTHING can beat Farmer Al. Not even this.. err.. hillbilly dude. (Warning: highly disturbing content.)
Most of the fruit gets eaten as it is because well… why mess with perfection? But last week-end a few apricots got forgotten in a corner and were a bit overripe by Monday. And overripe apricots simply beg to be baked in a tart, don’t you think? So i made these little tartelettes just for fun. Big Bossman sampled one and thought they were so good in fact he invited a few people for lunch at the last minute just so we could serve them. Arghh.. I shot myself in the foot again! Next time.. they’re all mine! I’ll share with you instead if you promise to invite nobody… and if you behave.
Going to lock my suitcase now. I have as many shirts as French wine bottles in there. I’ll probably get arrested and spend the next two weeks in jail. Wish me luck.
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Apricot-Almond Tarts
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- Serves 6
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For the sweet tart dough:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- grated zest of 1 orange
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For the almond cream and the tart:
- 4 ounces butter
- 2 ounces almond paste
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 pound fresh apricots
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For the sweet tart dough:
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- Preheat oven to 350′F.
- Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, flour, and salt into a bowl.
- Place the butter and orange zest into a food processor and process until smooth.
- Scatter the flour mixture over the butter, add the egg and process just until the dough forms a mass; do not overmix.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least for an hour.
- When ready, line a greased 9 1/2 inch tart pan with half the dough. Keep the rest for another use.
- Place pie weights in aluminum foil at the bottom of the tart and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the weights and bake for 20 minutes more. Let it cool.
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For the almond cream and the tart:
- Cook the butter in a small saucepan until it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat immediately and set aside to cool.
- In a food processor, beat together the almond paste, the sugar and the eggs until smooth, add flour and salt and pulse the mixture until combined and smooth.
- Add the brown butter and process until smooth. Add the creme fraiche or sour cream and process until smooth.
- Scrap this mixture into the bottom of the cooled pie shell. Arrange the fresh apricots over the top and bake until it starts to color and the custard is set, about 30 to 35 minuites.
- Serve at room temperature.
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June 2nd, 2009 at 4:28 am
Why why why did I click on the link?! My eyes!!! Anyway, maybe Farmer Al IS Will Ferrell in overalls? Ha ha ha.
But kudos to “Al” for growing such delicious stone fruit to go in such luscious tartelettes! Have fun in my continent!
June 2nd, 2009 at 7:50 am
quick little post? I love it…you never do things quick and little sir!
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 am
and I thought I owned every kind of tart pan!
Now I need to add these to my collection.
These apricots are beautiful.
Have a good trip and don’t forget to “relaX”.
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 am
will ferrell in overalls? oh yeah. Love him, but my heart also belongs to Jim Carrey. Before I was married I longed for ways to woo him. I wasn’t very successful as I never got to meet him, he has all this security and fancy planes, so it’s impossible to get the man alone. :::sigh:::
Do I really have to tell you have stellar your photos are? I mean seriously.
Not only do I want one, but I think I want that tart pan more. Is that bad?
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:14 am
Apricot almond tarts are hands down my favorite. Gorgeous job Stephane! One day I’ll have to tell you the story of my grandma’s apricot tart that turned out to be a quiche:)
Have a safe trip and enjoy Asia!
P.S: did you find my polka dot bikini in your suitcase? I was trying to sneak in:)
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:35 am
Those are the cutest apricot almond tarts I’ve ever seen.. and now I wish I had some good apricots and your tiny molds!!
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:43 am
YUMMY!
Love apricot tart. yours have creme fraiche, while mine doesn’t. I bet it taste more delish with creme fraiche!
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I LOVE Frog Hollow Farms. At the Ferry Building store in San Francisco, they often have an employee standing outside, handing out samples of apricot slices to try. How sly of them! They know full well that once you taste one, you’re sure to buy a bucket-load of those super sweet, luscious stone fruits.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Yes, over-ripe apricots adore a little tart shell around them! This looks so appealing! Now, if you don’t have time to finish them before your trip, send one my way and I’ll take care of business
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:56 pm
These are adorable and look equally as delicious! I haven’t done much with almond. If I can find some nice apricots I’m going to give these a try… Thanks!
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Oh my, oh my, I just found your website. This apricot almond tart looks divine. Save me a piece!
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I think those apricots were very happy to live out their declining days in those pretty little tarts.
Have a great trip!
June 2nd, 2009 at 3:43 pm
These are gorgeous!
June 2nd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I love love love fresh apricots. And those tarts look delicious & gorgeous!
Enjoy Asia
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Great photo - happy travels.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
They look so pretty!!! can you please ship me one?
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:21 am
After Zenchef let me try this tart I was about to propose to Al. Zenchef didn’t manage to tackle me fast enough and 6 hours later I am now in San Francisco looking for a man in overalls feeling apricots for ripeness. Damn those stone fruits.
June 4th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Alas, Colloqial, Farmer Al is already married…to a pastry chef! But the apricots are just as delish as Stephane says…
June 5th, 2009 at 6:11 am
oh how gorgeous! i would love one right now!
ps- i just got back not long from our wedding and love your new website!
June 5th, 2009 at 11:06 am
God really talks to you when you cook…
June 5th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Those look like some homemade maternity pants. The tarts, however, look amazing. See how being too good can backfire?
June 6th, 2009 at 10:48 am
awesome tarts….I want one…no all…can?
thanks for sharing and making me salivating now :))
June 6th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Have a blast in Hong Kong!
June 6th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
All your pictures are so gorgeous, you really are an artist! Those look wonderful. Your clients are very very lucky!:)
June 7th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Great Blog,
You should add your
expat blog to The
Expat Directory: http://www.theexpatdirectory.com/forms/add_site.php
June 7th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I want those molds!!!! Hope you’re still alive and well in Asia. Come back soon!
June 14th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
My mother makes something similar as her “go-to” recipe. I keep telling her that she should branch out some. And you might be “cursed” with a French accent, but try living in California with a British accent. It gets old, dude.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Those are quite gorgeous! Hope you’re having a great time in Asia!
June 16th, 2009 at 8:52 am
oh i definitely miss all your delicious and creative creations!! i’m glad to be back!! these tarts are gorgeous!!
ps, i love your new place
June 17th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
These are fantastic! I love the colour.
June 20th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
“frogolo” hahahaha….. It’s pronounced “furogu horro” if you’re cursed with a Japanese accent. How on earth did you get these way out here?
What did you glaze the tops with? So shiny!
June 28th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Just getting around to catching up on my blog reading, these are beautiful, and I love the apricot-almond combo… just used it in my June Daring Bakers challenge. I did a write-up of the book “How to Pick a Peach” for my online book club a few weeks ago and I believe the author talks about Frog Hollow. Here in MI, we get the Red Haven peaches at the end of summer, but no great apricots that I know of.