Apricot and Lavender Tart

With the final visit to our family home, Christmas, and a quick trip to visit with my beautiful sister, Jan, there was very little time for the garden in December… However, I did manage to sneak in a little time now and then – it’s my escape, it’s where I can relax, it’s my happy place and I love it, even if it is out of control!

At this time of year the lilies are in full bloom adding beautiful colour and height wherever they are in the garden – these are just two that I managed to snap – the yellow tiger was the best it has ever been. I saw them almost every day that I was at home, as I pass this little garden on my way to the compost!

Yellow tiger lily

Vicki’s lily

Yellow tiger lily

Lillies gifted to me by a friend.

Isn’t this white Agapanthus just stunning! Not only did I stop and take in its beauty, but as usual I spent way to much time watching as the bees collected pollen from the flowers.

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I’m know that I’ve said this before… I love pairing apricots with lavender!

This time I’ve paired the two in a delicious tart – I just couldn’t resist making it when I was given some absolutely beautiful apricots – the lavender picked from a plant at the front door just finished it off. I can assure you that it’s just as good served warm or cold, with or without cream or ice cream!

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Apricot & Lavender Tart

This tart is a given each year, when the apricots are ripe and the lavender is flowering.

Category: Dessert

Style: French

Keyword: Apricot Tart, Apricots, Gluten Free Option, Lavender

Quantity: 8

Author: sbaskitchen

Ingredients

1 quantity of sweet shortcrust pastry (see below for gluten free sweet shortcrust pastry recipe link)
18 - 24 large apricots
1 tbsp of soft brown sugar
4 sprigs of lavender

FOR THE FRANGIPANE

20 g butter softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup ground almond meal
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp plain flour (see below for gluten free option)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 175˚ (fan)
Roll out pastry and line a 25cm, loose bottomed, fluted tart tin, trimming and removing the excess. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Wash the apricots, cut in half and remove the stone, and then cut each half into three wedges.
Make the frangipane.
Remove the uncooked tart shell from the refrigerator and spread the frangipane evenly over the base.
Remove the little flowers from each of the sprigs of lavender and sprinkle over the frangipane.
Arrange the apricots, standing them cut side up in concentric circles, beginning from the outer edge.
Spinkle with brown sugar.
Place the tart into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked and the tips of the apricots begin to brown a little.
Allow the tart to cool before removing it from the tin.

For the Frangipane

Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and, using a handheld mixer, or a wooden spoon, and cream together.
Add the almond meal and flour, and mix to combine.
Finally add the egg yolk and vanilla and gently mix together.

Notes