Queens Vlaai Apricot Tart Recipes

QUEEN'S VLAAI (APRICOT TART)

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over the ½ cup warm water in a large bowl.
• Let stand until foamy.
• Add butter, salt, ¼ cup sugar and 1 cup flour.
• Beat with a heavy spoon until dough is stretchy.
• Add ¾ cup more flour, stir until well blended.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, (8 minutes) adding just enough flour to prevent sticking.
• Place in a greased bowl, turn over to grease top.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile combine apricots, remaining ½ cup sugar, and the 1 ½ cup, water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally until apricots are tender when pierced.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer apricots to a bowl and let cool.
• Boil syrup, uncovered, over high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, watching closely to prevent scorching.
• Set aside.
• Punch down dough and knead briefly on a lightly floured surface to release air.
• Pat into an 8-in round.
• Press dough evenly over bottom and ¾-inch up sides of well buttered 10- to 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Arrange apricots, slightly overlapping, on dough.
• Pour syrup over fruit.
• Gently press edges down flush with the fruit.
• Bake on lowest rack at 375 until crust is evenly browned. About 40 minutes.

EASY APRICOT TART

Steps:

• First, make the marzipan. Mix both sugars with the ground almonds and vanilla in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Reserve 1 tsp of the beaten egg in a small dish, then tip the rest into the well along with the lemon juice. Mix everything well, then mix in the cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture is spreadable (you may not need all the cream). Chill for 20 mins if it's too warm to spread properly, or greasy. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, then score it lightly around the edges to create a 1.5cm border - be careful not to cut all the way through. Lightly score a diamond pattern over the middle to keep the pastry from rising in the centre during cooking.
• Spread the marzipan over the middle of the pastry, leaving the border clear (see tip, below). Top with the apricots, cut-side down. Brush the border with the reserved beaten egg, then bake for 15 mins. Scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 5-10 mins more until the almonds are golden and the pastry has cooked through.
• Warm the jam over a low heat, then brush it over the apricots. Cut into squares and serve warm with ice cream or cream. Will keep chilled for up to two days.

FRENCH STYLE APRICOT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 C degrees.
• Lay pie crust on pie plate and punch with a fork.
• In a medium bowl beat eggs and sugar. Add almonds, coconut then cream.
• Pour the just-made mix onto the pie crust.
• Add apricots (without syrup). Lay them out on bent side.
• Bake at 180 C for about 40-45 minutes.
• Options: You can easily adapt this recipe, replacing apricots by peaches and/or pears as well as mixing the different fruits. You may also replace the grounded almonds by the coconut and vice-versa.

APRICOT TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Make the pastry. In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, sugar and salt. Process until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs (about five seconds). Add the cold water and process briefly, turning the machine on and off, until the mixture looks like small peas. Do not allow to become a ball in the machine.
• Turn mixture out onto lightly floured board and knead lightly until it holds together. With heel of palm of your hand, flatten it into a thick pancake about six inches across. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. It will keep unfrozen up to three days before being used.
• Cut apricots in half and remove pits. Melt butter and sugar in nine-inch cast-iron skillet. Arrange apricot halves in circles on top and cook over moderate heat, without burning, until sugar begins to caramelize. Be careful not to burn. Cool completely.
• Roll out pastry into 10-inch circle. Place it on top of apricots, cutting off excess dough. Put edges down over fruit. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Prick the pastry all over with the point of a knife. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is cooked.
• Cool and turn out onto a plate. Do not be dismayed if some of the apricots stick to pan; simply scrape them off and put them on top of pastry.