Apricot and Grand Marnier tart
A taste for one of my favorite summer tarts made with apricots – the most loved taste for many years.
dough*:
300 g all-purpose flour
70 g powdered sugar (or caster sugar)
pinch of sea salt
200 g butter, room temperature
2 egg yolks
filling:
500 g firm but ripe apricots, wedges
50-70 g sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apricots
40 ml Grand Marnier
pinch of sea salt
vanilla pod seeds or vanilla powder
topping:
almonds slices or pecans
Prepare the dough. In a bowl, add flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and eggs, and knead just until incorporated and smooth (don’t over mix, or it will be hard and not flaky). Wrap with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Mix the apricots with the rest of the filling ingredients in a bowl and let soak for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 200°C. Prepare a 23-24 cm tart pan or several smaller ones. Roll out the pastry 2-3 mm thick. Place in the pan and press the edges against the pan. Prick with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 16 minutes. Remove the beans and the paper and return to the oven. Bake another 5 minutes until golden. Remove.
Lower the heat to 190°C. Arrange the apricots nicely on top, pouring over 2 tbsp of liquid from the bowl. Top with the almond slices or pecans, and put in the oven one level lower than the middle. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the tart is beautiful and baked. Remove and cool before serving. I like it a little warm or even cold - just like that – with whipped cream or ice cream.
This is optional. If you wish, pour the apricot liquid in a pan and boil on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until the liquid thickens. When the tart is ready, drizzle over and brush the pastry to make it more glossy. It also adds a beautiful taste.
* This amount will be sufficient for 2 x 23 cm tarts, as I like to roll the dough very thin. I usually make one as lemon tart, then roll out the other half and freeze it for later use. Or, make cookies. Or, even another tart.