Guess what everybody! I got to met David Lebovitz last week! The restaurant where I work was hosting a book signing event to celebrate his most recent publication, My Paris Kitchen. So I snuck out from behind the oven to say hello to him and get my cookbook signed. Our whole interaction was a grand total of about 2 minutes, but it was still very exciting for me. And while I can’t speak for David, I’m sure he found it equally exciting (I am rather charming).
So to celebrate his visit to Seattle I thought it would be fitting to make a recipe from his book to share with you all today. I chose his Apricot Crumble Tart because, well, because I couldn’t imagine another minute of my life without this Tart in it. It has an easy, rustic crust (no rolling out dough, just press it into the pan). An uncomplicated filling that lets the flavors of fresh apricots really shine. And a crunchy, nutty crumble topping. This Tart is just barely sweet, meaning it pairs perfectly with a scoop of ice cream or some whipped cream. It would be an elegant addition to your Mother’s Day Brunch menu (your mom will surely thank you!)
If you haven’t had a chance yet to pick up My Paris Kitchen, I highly recommend it. Not only are the recipes and photographs incredibly enticing (really, what else would you expect coming from David Lebovitz), but David tells an engaging, interwoven set of stories about the nuances and idiosyncrasies between the French and American food cultures. It’s as much of a cookbook as it is a storybook. I think you’ll enjoy eating from it as much as you enjoy reading from it.
Cheers,
Liz
Recipe from David Lebovitz’s My Paris Kitchen
Ingredients
- For the Tart Crust
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- For the Crumble Topping
- 3/4 cups almonds (I used raw, unsalted almonds)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- For the Apricot Filling
- 2 pounds fresh apricots, pitted and quartered
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
Instructions
- Coat the bottom and sides of a 9- to 10-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Make the tart crust. Remove the butter from your refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften slightly. Add the butter and sugar to your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until no visible lumps of butter remain. Beat in the egg yolks, then the flour and salt, mixing until the dough comes together, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Using your hands, press the dough evenly over the bottom and sides of the springform pan, coming about halfway up the sides of the pan. Transfer the pan to your freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
- During this time make the crumble topping. In the bowl of your food processor with the blade attachment, pulse the almonds, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until the almonds are broken down into small pieces. Add the butter and pulse 5-7 more times, or until the mixture resembles loose crumbs. Chill the crumble topping in your refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
- Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Remove the chilled tart crust from your freezer and line it with aluminum foil. Add a layer of pie weights or dried beans. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and weights and continue to bake the tart crust for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until it is lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
- Make the apricot filling. In a large bowl combine the apricots, sugar, cornstarch and extracts. Don’t make the filling more than a few minutes in advance, or it will become too juicy.
- Transfer the apricot filling to the baked tart crust and spread it out evenly. Your pan will look very full – that is OK (the apricots will shrink down as they cook). Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top of the apricot filling. Transfer to your oven and bake for 50 minutes. Remove and let the Apricot Crumble Tart cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the outside of the tart to help separate it from the pan. Let it rest for another 30-40 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan. Allow the tart to cool completely before slicing and serving. I like mine with a little vanilla ice cream!
Glad you liked the tart! : )
Thanks, David! Yes, it was terrific. Already looking forward to making it again!
This tart looks amazing! Love apricots! Looking forward to meeting you at Mixed Conference later this year Liz.
I’m super excited for Mixed!