Apricot Frangipane Tart with Vanilla Sauce

Here is a simple tart that celebrates stone fruit, especially soft and juicy apricots, as well the wonderful texture of baked frangipane or fragrant puffy almond cream.  They both get set into a simple tart shell.

The best part is how you can finish the slices for serving: with a decadent drizzle of Vanilla Sauce, or Creme Anglaise.  This is a personal favourite sauce of mine, it works on just about any dessert you can imagine, from apple pie to chocolate cake.

What You Will Need

For the Shortcrust Pastry

• All Purpose flour, feel free to replace some of the flour with almond meal for that little bit extra
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Icing sugar
• Egg

For the Frangipane or Almond Cream

• Butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Almond meal or flour (feel free to grind your own, but it may result in a slightly more rustic texture)
• Vanilla extract (pure, not artificial)
• Almond extract, optional, but really adds to the contrast of fruit to frangipane bed

For the Apricot Topping

• Fresh but not over-ripe apricots
• Sliced almonds, flaked are my go-to, but slivers will work in a pinch
• Apricot jam, warmed with a splash of water, this will create a wonderful glaze on top of the baked tart

Method

Shortcrust Pastry

You will combine softened butter and the icing sugar in a medium to large bowl.  You can use either a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer for this pastry. Mix the two until smooth and well blended. 

Add the egg, and blend in.  Add in the flour and salt.  Add in portions for easy combining. Mixing on a lower speed will help to keep the flour from flying about. Once together, stop, or the pastry will become tough once baked through.

Transfer the dough to the counter, and fold it upon itself a few times, pressing firmly as you fold.  Once smooth, press into a round and place between two sheets of parchment.  Use the rolling pin to continue rolling it out to about 4mm or 1/4 inch thick all around. Transfer everything to a baking sheet and chill for an hour or more till ready to use.

You will need a fluted tart shell with a removable bottom for the next step.  Take the pastry out, and remove one of the parchment papers.  Use the other sheet to guide the pastry over the tart shell and gently drop and press the pastry into the tart shell.  Let the edges fall down into the deep edge of the tart pan.  You may find that the pastry crack or even tears.  No worries, it is quite forgiving and can easily be patched up. Once the pastry has been guided and fills the flutes, trim away any excess with a knife.  Place the tart shell in the fridge to rest, for at least an hour. If you will be baking it right away, place into the freezer instead.

Before you fill the tart shell, you will bake it off in the oven. Preheat the oven to 325F or 160C.  Ensure that the oven is completely heated through, and not just come up to temperature before baking the tart shell. Place the chilled tart shell onto a baking sheet. Dock the floor of the pastry with a fork. Optional: use parchment to completely line the pastry, and fill with baking beans.  If the pastry is properly chilled you shouldn’t need this step to keep the pastry from moving as it bakes. If you do opt to use the parchment and beans step, remove both after 15 minutes, and allow the pastry to continue baking to ensure that the bottom pastry can dry out.

Bake until the pastry is dry to the touch, about 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven.  Remove to a wire rack to cool while you prepare the filling.

Frangipane Filling

Combine soft butter and sugar in a large bowl. Using a handheld or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the two at medium speed till soft and creamy and increased in volume, about 3 minutes.

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and slowly add and mix into the butter sugar mixture.  It should be smooth.  The butter may seize a little, this just means it could have been warmer.  Don’t worry, it will smooth out when the almond meal or flour is added.  Add in the almond meal and vanilla.  It should be smooth.  Add in a splash of almond extract for extra almond oomph!

Using a small offset spatula, spread the almond cream into the cooled tart shell. You can also use a spoon if you don’t have a small offset spatula.

Apricot Topping

Wash and dry the apricots.  Slice in half, and then slice each half into 3 slices (4 is too thin, they will melt into the cream and you won’t have beautiful puddles of apricot to gaze upon as you slice it up!)

Working from the outside in, place the slices into the cream lightly. They can be placed pretty close together, since the almond cream filling will bake and puff up around them. 

Sprinkle with the almonds.  Place the tart shell onto a baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden, about 45-50 minutes. Transfer the tart to a wire rack to cool. In the meantime, take 2 tbsp of apricot jam and place in a small pan with 1-2 tsp of water.  Warm through till the jam softens and can be spread with a pastry brush.  Brush the baked tart all over.

Chill completely.  The tart can be served slightly chilled or even at room temperature.  It will keep for a few days, covered, in the fridge.

Vanilla Cream, or Creme Anglaise

This is the recipe from my book.  I love making up a jar, it is just so easy.  And once you have it made, it works on pancakes, waffles, crepes, fresh fruit, even chocolate cake or tarts.  Or just do what I do (a habit leftover from my restaurant days, and just use a spoon and enjoy the decadent cream all by itself! see Apricot Hazelnut Pie with Creme Anglaise for this memory)

You’ll need egg yolks, sugar, milk, heavy cream and vanilla paste or extract.  You will basically be making a thinned out pudding, on the stove top, combining the above ingredients.  Once thickened and smooth, pour the mixture through a sieve to catch any bits of egg that may have cooked hard.  Even after you do this once or twice, some small bits may still show up, don’t worry, it won’t affect the final taste or texture.  Add in the vanilla.  Transfer to a sealed jar and store in the fridge till needed.

Final Thoughts

Yes, I love the combo of baked apricots with vanilla sauce.  The play of flavours, textures and fragrances are just swoon-worthy.  Having said this, the recipe will work great with peaches, plums, nectarines, even cherries!  So it really is a great tart for the whole summer.

Make up a batch of the vanilla sauce, it will be a fun addition to so many brunch or dessert dishes.  Think of it as melted French Vanilla ice cream!

The tart shell pastry will also work with a combo of almond meal and a gluten free cup for cup blend flour.  Just ensure that this has either psyllium husk or xanthan gum as a binder already added in.

If you make this delightful and rustic Apricot Frangipane Tart with Vanilla Sauce, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

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Apricot Frangipane Tart with Vanilla Sauce

A delightful combination of silky baked apricots in a puffed almond cream filling surrounded by a shortcrust pastry is a perfect summer bake. Adding a luscious drizzle of velvety Vanilla Sauce takes it to the next level.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French, North American

Keyword almond cream, apricots, creme anglaise, frangipane, shortcrust pastry, vanilla sauce

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry

• 3.5 oz (100 gr; or 1/2 cup minus 2 tsp) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 6.5 tbsp (50 gr) icing sugar, sifted
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 2 cups (240 gr) plain / all-purpose flour, see Notes can also use a glute free cup for cup blend which contains a binder
• 1 good pinch fine table salt

Almond Cream Filling

• 2/3 cup (150 gr) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100 gr) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (150 gr) almond meal
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/2 tsp almond extract optional

Toppings

• 5-6 mediumish, ripe apricots, about 300 grams, see Notes
• 1.5 tbsp (20 gr) sliced or slivered almonds
• 1.5 tbsp apricot jam optional, to glaze

Vanilla Sauce (Creme Anglaise) Makes 1 cup, see Notes

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (50 gr) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (125) mL milk
• 1/2 cup (125) mL heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract

Instructions

Shortcrust Pastry

1. Combine the softened butter and icing sugar in a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment on medium speed, mix until completely smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the egg, stir through. Then add the flour and salt (or flour and almond meal mix) and mix on low speed until well combined, stopping to scrape the side of the bowl when required. Quit as soon as a rough dough comes together.
3. Transfer the dough to the counter and bring together into a ball. Place the dough between two large sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a large disk that is about 1/6 inch (4mm) thick. It should be a good 2 inches larger than the tart shell you will be using. Transfer everything onto a flat tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Peel off one of the parchment sheets and use the other one to help transfer the pastry over a 9-9.5 inch (24 cm) tart shell with removable bottom. Gently press the pastry down into the inner corners or edges of the tart shell. Trim away any excess with a small knife. Place this back in the fridge chill and rest for at least 1 hour, or overnight (or for up to 24 hours).
5. Preheat your oven on 325F (160Celsius). Dock the pastry using a fork to prick all over the bottom of the pastry. Place the pastry in the freezer while the oven is preheating.
6. Par-bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom feels dry to the touch. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool down completely. (If you aren't sure you chilled the pastry enough, feel free to line the pastry with parchment paper and a full layer of baking beans before placing the tart shell into the oven. Remove the beans and parchment carefully after 15 minutes and return the pastry to the oven to continue baking till dry.

Almond Cream Filling

1. Combine the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl if using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar at medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until very soft, and increased in volume.
2. Use a fork to whisk the eggs and vanilla paste or extract in a separate bowl. Then add this to the butter sugar mixture and mix until you get a smooth paste. Mix in the Almond Meal. You should get a thick, coarse paste. Scrape down the sides, and stir through the almond extract if using.
3. Spread the almond cream into an even layer at the bottom of the cool par-baked tart pastry. A small off-set spatula works great, but a spoon will do the trick as well.

Toppings

1. Wash and dry the apricots. Slice the apricots in half, and then cut each half into 3 slices. Slightly press each apricot slice into the almond cream and create two rings of apricots. They can be placed pretty close together, then almond cream filling will puff up around them as it bakes. Sprinkle with sliced or slivered almonds.
2. Bake at 325F (160 degree Celsius) for 45 to 50 minutes or until the almond filling is puffed and golden. Place on a wire rack to cool down.
3. While it is cooling, place the apricot jam and a splash of water in a small pan over medium low heat on the stove (or a small bowl and slightly heat up in the microwave). Brush the warm apricot jam over the cooled apricots and the almond filling.

Vanilla Sauce

1. In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until slightly thickened. Place the bowl onto a dampened tea towel. In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, cook the milk and cream until bubbles start to appear along the edges, about 5-6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low.
2. Whisking continuously, add 1/4 cup of the warm milk cream mixture to the egg and sugar in the bowl. Add another 1/4 cup of the dairy, all the while whisking.

3. Return the milk and egg mixture to the pan and place on the stove over medium low. Using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to gently stir and scrape the bottom and corners of the pan, cook until the sauce has thickened, an instant-read thermometer shows 170F, and you can scrape the back of the spatula through the sauce and leave a path that doesn't disappear. This should take about 4-5 minutes.

4. Pour the sauce over a small sieve set over a small bowl. This will catch any bits of egg that may have cooked. You may need to do this twice. Stir in the vanilla paste till evenly distributed. Transfer to a jar with a lid and store in the fridge till needed.

Recipe Notes

You can replace 1/4 cup or 40 grams of the all purpose flour with the same amount of almond meal or almond flour.
Make sure the apricots are ripe, but not over-ripe. Over-ripe will result in a wet, mushy apricot, instead of silky soft apricot once baked.
This is just enough vanilla sauce for serving with the tart. Honestly I would just double the recipe, it will get used, I promise!
The pastry and the frangipane (almond cream filling) can be made ahead and even frozen separately till ready to bake up. Wrap the pastry well in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag. The almond filling can be placed in a sealed container for freezing. Thaw in the fridge over night. Continue with the recipe.

Apricot Tart adapted from the recipe on the A Baking Journey website