Apricot Hazelnut Custard Tart Recipes

APRICOT CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325-degrees F.
• Place baked tart shell on baking sheet. Set aside.
• Cut apricots into wedges and arrange in tart shell.
• In a bowl whisk together sugar, yolks and cream.
• Stir in flour and salt. Stir to combine.
• Pour cream/yolk mixture over apricots.
• Sprinkle almonds over all.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until custard is set.

APRICOT CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Make the pastry in the usual way.
• Roll pastry out and line an 11" shallow, fluted flan tin (with a removable base).
• Line with either foil or greaseproof paper, and baking beans or rice.
• Bake'blind' for 25 minutes@ 400'F (Gas mark 6)-to dry the base of the flan case.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
• TO MAKE THE CUSTARD: blend together the eggs, sugar and flour.
• Boil the milk and pour onto the egg mixture.
• Stir well, and return to to the pan bringing to the boil and simmering for 2-3 minutes until thick.
• Remove from the heat and stir frequently to avoid a skin forming.
• Add the vanilla extract.
• Allow the custard to cool then spread it onto the base of the flan case.
• Drain the fruit and arrange on top of the custard.
• Put the arrowroot in a pan, blend in the fruit juice and simmer until thick.
• Stir in the apricot brandy.
• Spoon or brush the arrowroot glaze over the fruit and leave until set.

APRICOT-HAZELNUT FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Make the poached apricots: Combine wine, 3 cups water, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, and cinnamon stick in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add apricots, cut-side down. Cover surface with a parchment round, and cook, simmering, until apricots are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer poached apricots to a small rimmed baking sheet or plate.
• Bring poaching liquid to a boil and cook until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in lower third of oven. Make the frangipane: Combine hazelnuts and sugar in bowl of food processor and process until finely ground. Add butter, flour, egg, liqueur, salt, and vanilla extract; process until frangipane is smooth.
• Prepare the tart shell: Unfold puff pastry on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border about 1 1/2-inches in from perimeter of pastry.
• Using tines of a fork, pierce puff pastry all over within border. Spread frangipane in an even layer within border. Arrange poached apricots on top of frangipane, cut-side down; brush lightly with poaching liquid. Combine egg and cream, then brush lightly onto puff pastry border.
• Bake until tart is puffed and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and brush apricots lightly with more poaching liquid. Let cool completely.

APRICOT CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• For crust
• Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in vanilla and and enough water to form moist clumps. Knead dough briefly on work surface to combine; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer dough to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Gently press dough into pan; trim excess dough. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
• Place tart pan on baking sheet. Bake crust until light golden, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 25 minutes (crust may shrink slightly). Cool crust on sheet. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:
• Combine cream, 1/4 cup sugar, flour, brandy, yolks and vanilla in processor; blend until smooth. Arrange apricot quarters cut side down in prepared crust. Pour custard over. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake tart on baking sheet until apricots are tender and filling is puffed and set, about 30 minutes. Cool tart on rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Push pan bottom up to free tart from pan. Cut tart into wedges and serve.

HAZELNUT CUSTARDS

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound the hazelnuts until finely ground.
• In a medium heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium high heat (watch carefully that it does not boil over). Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Stir in the hazelnuts, bring back up to the boil and remove from the heat. Cool the mixture almost to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and the egg yolks together until evenly blended. Slowly pour the cream mixture in, stirring all the time, until absorbed. Add the Frangelico and then strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup with a lip, pressing hard against the mesh to extract all the flavor from the nuts. Pour the custard mixture into twelve 2 ounce ramekins and arrange them in a large roasting pan. Pour a little boiling water in the base of the pan, to come about halfway up the sides of the little custard pots. Bake on the middle rack until the custards are set in the center, about 35 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 1 hour. Serve 2 or 3 little custards per person and, using a vegetable peeler, shave a few small curls of chocolate over the top of each.

HAZELNUT FRANGIPANE TART WITH APRICOTS AND SOFTLY WHIPPED CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Cut dough into a 6-inch round piece (reserve remaining dough for another use), and press into a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom, making dough about 1/4 inch thick. Patch with pieces of dough if necessary. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Trim dough flush with rim, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Rotate tart shell, and remove parchment and weights. Cover edges with a strip of foil. Bake until bottom is crisp and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Pulse 1/3 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Stir together ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt.
• Beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in egg. Add hazelnut mixture, and beat until just combined. (Frangipane can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.)
• Spoon frangipane into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula. Let stand for 10 minutes. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Lightly score bottoms of apricots. Add apricots to boiling water, and blanch to loosen skins, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath to stop the cooking, about 1 minute. Remove apricots, and gently peel. Cut in half, and remove pits.
• Just before serving, beat cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form; whisk in creme fraiche. Spread over frangipane. Arrange 7 apricot halves, cut side down, around edge. Cut remaining apricot half into thirds and arrange in center.
• Melt jam in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in lemon juice, and set aside to cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Pour through a sieve; discard solids. Brush strained jam over apricots, and spoon remaining glaze over cream. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts around apricots. Serve immediately.

HAZELNUT FRANGIPANE TART WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom, about 1/4 inch thick. Patch, if necessary. Trim excess dough flush with rim. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Rotate shell, and remove parchment and weights. Bake until bottom is crisp and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F.
• Pulse 1/3 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Stir together ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in egg. Add hazelnut mixture, and beat until just combined. Frangipane can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Spoon frangipane into tart shell, and smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand 10 minutes. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Peel apricots (see page 343); cut in half, and remove pits. Just before serving, beat cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form; whisk in crème fraîche. Spread over frangipane. Arrange 7 apricot halves, cut side down, around edge. Cut remaining apricot half into thirds and arrange in center.
• Heat jam in a saucepan over medium-low until loose. Stir in lemon juice, and let cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve; discard solids. Brush strained jam over apricots, and spoon remaining glaze over cream. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts around apricots. Serve immediately.

APRICOT HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. , In a bowl, combine the hazelnuts, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, water and vanilla until lemon-colored. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar; set aside., In a small bowl with clean beater, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the dry ingredients into egg yolk mixture. Repeat three times. Fold in egg white mixture. , Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a chilled large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in apricots. , Split each cake into two horizontal layers. Spread filling between layers and over sides of torte. Spread jam over top. Garnish with whipped cream, apricots and hazelnuts if desired. Store in refrigerator.

APRICOT-HAZELNUT TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Press dough into a greased 8-in. square baking pan; spread with preserves. In a small bowl, mix melted butter, water and remaining sugar; stir in hazelnuts. Spread over preserves., Bake until edges are golden brown and center is set, 30-35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack. Cut into sixteen 2-in. squares. Cut squares into triangles. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Dip 1 side of each triangle halfway into melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

APRICOT CRèME BRûLéE TART

Steps:

• For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, mix in flour and almonds then stir in the egg until the pastry just comes together. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins.
• While the pastry is chilling, make the filling. Tip the apricots into a bowl. Bring the wine and the sugar to a rolling boil, then pour over the apricots and leave to steep in the liquid. In the same saucepan (there's no need to wash it) bring the vanilla and cream to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave the cream to infuse.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Roll the pastry to fit a 23cm fluted tart tin and leave it to chill in the freezer for 10 mins. Line the tart case with foil or greaseproof paper and fill the tart with baking beans. Bake the tart for 20 mins until the edges become biscuity, then remove the beans and foil or greaseproof paper and cook for a few more mins until the base starts to brown. Remove the tart from the oven and lower the heat to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
• While the tart case is cooking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Strain the vanilla cream over the eggs and whisk, then drain the apricots and mix the liquid in with the vanilla cream and the eggs to make a custard. Pull the apricots apart and press them sticky side down into the tart case. Pour the custard over the apricots and bake for about 20-30 mins until the filling is just set. Remove the tart from the oven and leave to cool. To serve, scatter the remaining sugar over the tart and blast with a blowtorch to caramelise it, leave it to harden for a minute and cut into slices and serve. As there are so many lovely flavours in the tart already it needs no accompaniment