Apricot + Almond Bakewell Tart // Sponsored By Cook Flavoring Company
I have been obsessed with The Great British Baking Show lately. Have you seen it?! If you haven't and you're at all into baking, I highly recommend. It's technically a reality show competition but it has a different vibe than most reality-type shows. British contestants gather in a huge tent set in a pasture, sprawled out in what must be the rural British countryside and are tasked with baking the most intense, elaborate treats and confections you can think of. It's wonderful. I could also listen to their charming accents all day. Perhaps my favorite part is that the contestants are so sweet and encouraging and supportive of each other rather than being cut-throat or mean to one another. Like they're actually friends! They cry when someone has to go home! It's seriously the best. Sometimes I watch the bakers and I'm like, "ya, I could do that!". Not that I know how to make half the things they do on the show but I would love to get in there and have a crack at it! But then I remember it's a television show and I HATE being on camera so... probably not. But I find them all so inspiring and it makes me wanna get in the kitchen, pull out all the sugars and flours, roll up my sleeves, and make a mess of baked creations.
I was watching an episode the other day and they made a bakewell tart, which sounds so quintessentially British and thus charming and cozy and delicious. Who doesn't want to eat something called a bakewell? It was actually a dessert created completely on accident, and now it's a British classic. Isn't that always how the best things come about? A traditional bakewell is a tart shell filled with jam and frangipane (almond cream filling) and is usually iced. I was inspired to make my own Summery version. I went with my favorite Cook's Pure Almond Extract to accent the delicious and rich almond cream. I decided to skip the traditional iced top since the tart shell and cream are already pretty sweet and topped the tart with fresh Summer apricots instead. They add a nice tart bite and some balance to the sweet.
Cook Flavoring Company has been a family-owned and run operation producing the highest quality vanilla extracts and flavorings for 100 years. The company's dedication to crafting only the best vanilla is achieved through their bean-to-bottle approach, taking great care with each step of the production process. It begins with their commitment to the farmers they buy from. Cook Flavoring strives to build relationships with farmers and invest in their communities by helping to build schools and foster trust. In turn, they are able to purchase only the best vanilla beans at the peak of harvest. The company cures their own beans after harvest and never exposes their extracts to heat as other companies do but rather use a slower cold extraction method to ensure the highest quality and flavor you can buy. Cook Flavoring Company produces over 200 types of vanilla and flavorings so be sure to check out their selection online or find a location that sells Cook's near you.
Apricot + Almond Bakewell Tart
crust
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/2 c organic cane sugar
big pinch Himalayan pink salt
1/2 c unsalted butter (1 stick), cold and cubed
1 egg, beaten
filling
2/3 c apricot jam
3/4 c almond flour
1/2 c organic cane sugar
big pinch Himalayan pink salt
1/2 c unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1 t almond extract
5-6 small/medium apricots, halved and thinly sliced
powdered sugar, for dusting
make the crust
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt together a few times. Add the cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the egg and mix until mixture comes together to form a dough. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle. Gently lay the dough into an 8 inch x 11 inch tart pan and trim to fit. If your dough tears, just patch it up with some dough scraps. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Remove tart from freezer and prick bottom with a fork all over the surface. Bake for 25 minutes, until barely golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you make the filling.
make the filling
Turn oven down to 350 °F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and almond extract and mix again until combined. Add the almond flour and salt and mix until fully combined.
assemble the tart
Using an offset spatula, spread the jam in an even layer over the bottom of the tart shell. Spread the almond cream over the jam. Layer the sliced apricots over the almond cream in whatever design you'd like. I lightly scored the surface of the tart with a toothpick to outline 12 squares and then fanned each halved apricot out to fit in the squares to keep the design more orderly. Alternatively, you could also just split the apricots in half and nestle them in rows cut-side up and that would be lovely, too. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until filling is golden. Allow to cool then dust with powdered sugar.
crust recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
This post is sponsored by Cook Flavoring Company. All opinions stated are my own and I only promote products I love and use. Thanks for supporting the brands that support me!
