Phil Vickery's apricot and almond tart
Found a few tins of fruit at the back of your lockdown store cupboard you didn’t know were there? Phil Vickery has a sweet solution to get them centre stage, giving the classic English Bakewell a twist using apricots and almonds.
Phil also shows us how we can swap in fresh seasonal fruit for a great effect.
Apricot and almond tart
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
For the crème pâtissière
500mls full cream milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
40g plain flour, sifted
For the pastry
200g caster sugar
200g salted softened butter
3 medium eggs
250g ground almonds
75g flour, sifted
4-5 tbsp crème pâtissière (see recipe)
For the tart
1 cooked blind 24cm x 3cm deep pastry case, with the edge nice and proud
4-6 tbsp apricot jam to spread on the base
50g flaked almonds roughly
10-12 apricot halves, canned in syrup or fresh - drained and dried if using canned.
4-6 tbsp icing sugar
Water
To serve
Clotted cream
Method
1. Start with the creme pat; place the milk and vanilla into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time
2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together, until thick and creamy. Add the flour and mix well.
3. Pour in the milk then stir well, return to the pan and bring to the boil very slowly, stirring all the time in a figure of eight so no cream catches, until the mixture thickens
4. When boiling remove from the heat, and pour into a clean bowl, cover with cling film
5. Now for the tart, preheat the oven to 190 C, gas 5
6. Beat together the sugar and butter until creamy. Add the eggs slowly, then fold in the almonds and flour.
7. When the almonds and flour are half incorporated, then fold in the warm crème pat
8. Spread the jam on the bottom of the cooked pastry case. Using a large plain nozzle, pipe the mixture in circles on top of the apricot jam. Sprinkle with flaked almonds then slightly push in the apricot halves, rounded side up.
9. Bake in the pre heated oven for about 40-45 minutes, until risen and light brown in colour. The tart should be left slightly undercooked and squidgy.
10. Once cooled to room temperature make up the icing by combining the icing sugar with the water - you want this nice and thin. Brush over the flan and leave to set. You need to see the tart through the icing.
11. Serve with clotted cream