Name: Free-form apricot tart
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 cup plain flour; 1/4 cup icing sugar; 125 gram chilled butter, chopped; 1 egg; 1/3 cup almond meal; 2 tablespoon demerara sugar; 1 teaspoon mixed spice; 1 egg, beaten lighly; 1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted; thick custard, to serve; Filling; 1 orange, 1/4 cup juice, 1 strip peel; 2 tablespoon caster sugar; 1 kilogram apricots (14), halved, stoned; 1 teaspoon mixed spice; 2 thyme sprigs

Free-form apricot tart

Sweet juicy apricots encased in a light crispy pastry - these indulgent free-form apricot tarts are the perfect addition to your next morning tea!

Serves 6

Prep

10M

Cook

45M

Total

55M

Ingredients

2 cup plain flour

1/4 cup icing sugar

125 gram chilled butter, chopped

1 egg

1/3 cup almond meal

2 tablespoon demerara sugar

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 egg, beaten lighly

1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted

thick custard, to serve

Filling

1 orange, 1/4 cup juice, 1 strip peel

2 tablespoon caster sugar

1 kilogram apricots (14), halved, stoned

1 teaspoon mixed spice

2 thyme sprigs

Method

1.Preheat oven to moderate 180C. Preheat an oven tray.

2.Sift flour and icing sugar together into a bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in egg to form a dough. Knead gently until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 15 minutes.

3.Make filling: In a saucepan stir juice and sugar together on low heat to dissolve. Add apricots, spice, thyme and peel. Simmer, covered 4-5 minutes, until apricots soften but still hold their shape. Cool 10 minutes.

4.Roll out pastry between 2 sheets baking paper to a 5mm thick oval. Sprinkle with combined most of almond meal, sugar and spice. Top with apricots. Fold pastry border in towards centre, pinching around filling to make a rough case. Brush with egg, sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

5.Transfer to hot tray and bake 35-40 minutes until pastry is golden and crisp. Cool on tray 5 minutes. Scatter with almonds. Serve with custard.