Apricot Tart with Frangipane

This apricot tart with frangipane is show-stopper indeed, and a nail-bite. Making this frangipane was a wild ride! I’m so glad I made it though, as we can’t wait to enjoy this divine tart again.

The finished frangipane was gorgeous and absolutely delectable. Every element had the right texture and flavor—golden brown (even the entire bottom) buttery crust, not-too-sweet almond filling with beautiful floral notes of orange blossom water, and tender apricots with refreshing tartness.

How was making it a wild ride? Well first, I felt nervous about just grating the dough and not pressing it into the pan before baking the crust. But when I lifted the pie weights I was relieved to see that the shredded dough had puffed up and filled in any gaps that may have been there (phew).

The excitement wasn’t over then. I checked the frangipane after it baked for 30 minutes, and realized some of the filling had begun to overflow (thank goodness for the foil-lined baking sheet underneath it). Maintaining Julia Child’s just-keep-going attitude, I closed the oven door, took a deep breath, and proceeded with the rest of the steps.

By the time the frangipane finished baking with pistachios on top, it couldn’t have looked more disastrous with a greasy bubbling black mess all over outside of the tart pan. But seeing that the tart itself wasn’t burned (a big phew), I knew there was still hope.

While the gooey mess was still hot, with a paper towel I carefully pushed the overflowed filling down the side and away from the pan (I felt like an archaeologist brushing dirt off of an ancient gem). Revealed was a beautiful frangipane, perfectly presentable at any special occasion.

The tart took 2 hours to completely cool, but the texture was still a bit delicate for cutting. After 3 more hours it sliced significantly cleaner, as the crust, the filling, and the apricots had settled together more tightly.

But the real pleasant surprise came the following day. I had refrigerated the leftover portion (unsliced), and discovered that this frangipane could be made a day ahead without losing its superb quality—the filling was still moist and fragrant, the crust was not soggy even the slightest, and the apricots still tasted fresh.

In the end, this frangipane triumphed and was adored by all—a little anxiety was a small price to pay!