Photography & Styling by Alison Engstrom

One way to make your home smell like a French pâtisserie is baking a pastry filled with frangipane. The sweet blend of toasted almonds, sugar, and vanilla or almond extracts wafting through the air will seduce all taste buds especially if it’s folded into a buttery crust. In this recipe, slightly tart apricots are rolled in sugar—although any stone fruit will do—and sit atop a chewy golden almond filling that isn’t overly sweet.

Apricot Frangipane Tart

Makes an 8 or 9 inch tart

For the Crust

1 stick cold unsalted butter, sliced into 10 to 12 pieces

1 1/2 cups flour

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Frangipane (Slightly adapted from ‘Dessert Person’ by Claire Saffitz)

6 ounces unblanched almonds, or about 1 1/2 cups

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons flour

For the Assembly

About 8 small apricots, preferably organic, or other stone fruit such as plums or peaches

3 tablespoons sugar*

*Always taste your fruit! If it’s super sweet usually extra sugar isn’t always needed, unless you prefer a super sweet dessert.

Directions: Prepare the crust. Place the flour and butter into a bowl. Using a fork begin to combine the two, alternatively, you can use a food processor. The larger the pieces of butter, the more flaky the crust will be. Add a tablespoon of cold water at a time until dough comes together. Chill for at least one hour.

Prepare the frangipane. In a sauté pan, place the almonds, spreading out to allow for even toasting. Over medium heat allow to toast, taking care to not burn, this should take five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. In a food processor, add cooled almonds, butter, sugar, and blend until a butter-like consistency forms. Then add salt, egg yolks, extracts, and flour. Blend until fully combined. Set aside until ready to use. If not using right away place into the refrigerator, allowing to come to nearly room temperature before using for tart.

To assemble the tart. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously flour a working surface. Roll chilled dough until it’s large enough for an 8-inch or 9-inch tart pan or pie pan. Gently place into pan, crimping edges if desired. Place in the freezer until ready to use.

Place sugar onto a dish. Slice apricots in half and each half into threes and roll into sugar. Remove crust from freezer. Add frangipane into tart shell, smoothing over with a knife to make sure it’s even. Arrange apricots on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until frangipane is golden.

Apricot Frangipane Tart

Apricot Frangipane Tart

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