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Apricot Frangipane Tart

Ingredients
  

For the filling

  • 1 cup dried apricots soaked in 2 cups of water overnight
  • 1/3 cup blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup evaporated cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup 1/2 stick Melt or other vegan butter
  • 2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon aquafaba
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Amaretto
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons apricot jam

For the crust

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • pinch baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar
  • 6 tablespoons Melt or other vegan butter chilled and cut into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon aquafaba
  • 1 teaspoon ice water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

For the filling

  • Using a food processor or blender, grind almonds and sugar together until they become a fine powder. Sprinkle in flour. Add vegan butter and process until mixture lightens and turns creamy.
  • In a small separate bowl, whip together the aquafaba, cream of tartar and Amaretto for about 3 minutes, or util mixture triples in volume and is light in color and texture.
  • Using a light hand, fold aquafaba mixture in to the almond mixture.
  • If desired, make the frangipane a day ahead, pour into a small air-tight container and refrigerate until preparing the tart.

For the crust

  • Sift together flour, baking powder and evaporated cane sugar.
  • Cut in vegan butter and mix or pulse briefly, until mixture forms coarse sandy crumbs.
  • Mix in aquafaba, water and vanilla. Pulse until mixture just comes together. Shape dough into a ball, wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour. Keeps refrigerated for several days.

To assemble:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Press dough into an 8-inch tart ring. Prick sides and bottom with the tines of a fork. Cover with parchment sheet or foil and weigh down with raw rice or beans or if you’re a fancy kind of person, pie weights.
  • Bake pie shell for 6 minutes. Remove from oven, remove beans, parchment or foil. Allow pie shell to cool for a few minutes.
  • Spread frangipane over the bottom of the pie shell — it should be enough to cover.
  • Drain apricots Pour the apricot soaking liquid into a glass. Drink it. You will thank me.
  • Split the drained apricots lengthwise. Toss with the tablespoon of lemon juice.
  • Arrange apricot halves in the tart so they cover the frangipane. If you’re lucky, you may have one or two left over. Eat them.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until tart smells sweet, fragrant and is lightly browned.
  • Let tart cool slightly, then brush apricots with a tablespoon or two apricot jam for a pretty, glazed finish.