Go Back

Apricot Frangipane Tart

Soft, sweet, zesty and oh, so slightly fuzzy, apricots are like little suns. Alas, their season lasts not much longer than the eclipse. In this tart, dried apricots, magically plumped and revived with an overnight soak, take the place of fresh, so you can make it any time of the year. While the apricots soak, make and chill the frangipane and pie dough. The next day, it takes maybe 15 minutes to put the whole thing together. The secret ingredient in both the almond-scented frangipane and sweet cookie crust is aquafaba. The Latin translation is bean water, and we’re talking the brine from a can of chickpeas. Aquafaba is brilliant vegan egg replacer and a great use of a byproduct we usually throw out. This crust has been my go-to for years. You don’t even roll it out, just press it into tart pan.

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
  • 1/4 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
 

Filling Instructions

  • Using a food processor or blender, grind almonds and sugar together until they become a fine powder. Add vegan butter and process until mixture lightens and turns creamy, about 2 minutes.
  • Sprinkle in flour, aquafaba and Amaretto and give one last blitz of the food processor or blender. Frangipane should be light in texture and color.
  • If desired, make a day ahead and keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until using for your tart.

Crust Instructions

  • 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.