Today I'm going to show you how to make this Apricot Custard Tart. And boy is it dreamy. It's made using apricot preserves, which are one of my favorite things because they can give you a taste of summer all year round. I'm always looking for new ways to use my stock of preserves and was super happy to use them for this tasty treat.
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| Tart shell ingredients and filling ingredients. |
To get started, you'll need some ingredients!
For Tart Shell (for a 9-10" tart pan):
- 1 1/4 c multi purpose flour (I used Manini's Multiuso gluten free flour)
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 c (1 stick) butter cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1/8 c super cold water
For Tart Filling:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split with seeds scraped out
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 heaping tbs sugar
- 12 oz Apricot preserves (or 1 1/2 half pint jars). I used homemade apricot vanilla bean preserves, but you could use store bought, too. Heck, you could even use preserves made with a different kind of fruit (raspberry would be dreamy!).
You'll want to begin by making the tart shell because it needs to be cool when you add the filling.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor and
pulse a few times until combined.
3. Add the cubed butter and pulse until it resembles a coarse
meal.
4. Add the water and pulse until forms clumps and starts to look
like dough (you can add a tiny bit more water if your dough
looks dry).
5. Carefully pull the dough out of the food processor, form into
a ball, then flatten it into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap,
and refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. After pulling the dough out of the refrigerator, roll out the
dough to just slightly larger than the tart pan, then place in
the tart pan and press up the edges. I'm usually a mess at
putting dough into pans so i tend to have to press lots of
cracks together and push the dough up the sides with my
fingers. And that's ok! It doesn't have to be perfect, just
delicious!
7. Place a piece of parchment over the tart shell and fill with
pie weights or dried beans. This will help avoid any bubbling
of the crust and is called blind baking.
8. Put the shell in the oven for 10 minutes, take out, remove
parchment, and cook for 10 more minutes.
9. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
While the crust is cooling, you can begin work on the filling. The preserves are already ready to go, so you'll just need to make the custard. Here's how:
1. If you turned your oven off, now is the time to re-pre-heat it
to 350°. Then, in a small pot, combine the milk and the
vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a boil over medium heat,
stirring occasionally.
2. When the milk comes to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and
let sit for 30 minutes so the vanilla bean can infuse into the
cream.
3. After 30 minutes, strain the mixture and put it back on the
stove over very low heat, just to keep it warm.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the sugar
until they become light and somewhat pale in color.
5. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking as
you pour.
6. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium-low heat,
stirring constantly. Don't let it boil as that can cause it to
curdle. Cook it over the stove for 7-10 minutes, until the
mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
7. Remove the mixture from the heat immediately and pour it into
your tart shell.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, just long enough to slightly bake the
custard, then remove from the oven and spoon the preserves
over the top. You'll want to add just enough of
the preserves to come to just under the edge of the tart
shell.
9. Return to the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the
preserves begin to bubble and thicken slightly. I used a
fairly loose preserve so this took some extra time. The
easiest way to tell if the preserves have thickened is to
shake the pan. If it's real jiggly, then it will need a little
more time. If it has just a touch of jiggle, it'll be perfect!
10. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, cut and
I hope you get a chance to try making this delicious tart soon!
Til next time!
-Becca
