DREAMY Apricot Custard Tart

This apricot tart is a dream! It is like an apricot version of the classic French fruit tart. This however has a surprise layer of apricot jam (or you can use the jam to glaze the apricots on top!) and sliced apricots for visual appeal! This is a dessert to wow guests.

I saw this gorgeous picture of an apricot tart on Instagram on Tivoli Road Bakery's account and immediately wanted to make it. It was so pretty and I loved the orange and blush pink shades of the apricots.

This tart is actually quite straightforward to make and the only precaution I will share is that you want the apricots quite firm so that they slice cleanly, otherwise soft apricots will turn to mush. You don't want them rock hard of course but somewhere between the two, based on your feel of the fruit in your hands should be just what you need. Other than that, a sharp knife and then you'll be slicing away much like if you've done those pretty patterns in avocado.

To make the apricot pattern on top:

1. First halve the apricots and remove the seed
2. Cut each half into thin slices. Then fan them a little with your hands and transfer them onto the custard filled tart. You do want these sliced thinly but not too thin so that they're uneven or impossible to maintain a similar width.
3. You want to have as few gaps as possible. If there are any gaps just fill with black berries or edible flowers.

You can also use other stone fruit for this. I do think apricots are best because sometimes peaches, nectarines and plums have clingstones whereas apricot seeds are easily removed. But make the most of the summer's stone fruit and play with different fruits or mix them up too!

Speaking of summer, I recently had a summer staycation and I was at Madame Tussaud's wax museum in Sydney. I had such a good time although I have to admit that I approached it with a lot of skepticism. I thought it was a) for kids only and b) would be creepy.

It was busy but with plenty of social distancing. You can't touch the wax statues with COVID-19 measures in place. There I was, just standing there between the statues and on my phone. I think I was responding to an Instagram message when I saw a young boy staring up at me. He pointed at me and said to his brother. "Is she wax?"

I had to laugh. I mean I would have been the worst wax statue-maybe he thought I was the wax statue of "blogger on phone!". Not that I warrant having a statue of course!

So tell me Dear Reader, what is your favourite stone fruit? Have you been to Madam Tussaud's?

Apricot Tart

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 60 minutes plus chilling and resting time. The custard and pastry are best made a day ahead

Cooking time: 30 minutes

For pastry

• 225g/8ozs. plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 112g/4ozs. butter, softened and cubed
• 90g/3ozs. icing sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg white to brush

For Custard

• 115g/4ozs. caster or superfine sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons cornflour/fine cornstarch
• 250ml/8.8flozs. cream
• 170ml/6flozs. milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

• 500g/1.1lbs apricots

• 1/2 cup/170g/4ozs. apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon water

I used a 25cm/10inch flan tin

Step 1 - I make the pastry cream and the pastry the night before so that it has time to cool. To make the pastry, whisk the flour and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes using a beater attachment on medium speed. Add in the egg yolks and beat to incorporate. Then mix in the flour on low speed until it starts to come together.

Step 2 - Place on a surface and knead and then roll out between two sheets of parchment to make a large flat round. Place on a baking tray and put in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight.

Step 3 - Make the custard. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together and add the cornflour/cornstarch. In a saucepan heat the cream and milk together until almost boiling. Reduce heat to low medium and add in the egg mixture and stir to prevent it sticking to the bottom. Try not to overstir. Allow to thicken and coat the back of a spoon. It will thicken further on cooling.

Thermomix directions: I prefer making custard in the Thermomix as it produces the silkiest custard and you don't have to stand there stirring. Place the sugar, egg yolks, cornflour, cream, milk and vanilla in the bowl and set to 7 minutes, 90C speed #4 and set to go. Cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming and allow to cool, then place in the fridge.

Step 4 - Take the pastry out of the fridge and gently remove the parchment and dust with flour on both sides. I take the removable tart base and cut around it and then place the pastry on the base. Then I cut out strips to make the sides of the tart and place them around it. At this stage the pastry will be softer and you can press the pastry together to seal. You don't want any gaps so that the custard leaks.

Step 5 - Trim the sides so that they are flush with the top of the tin. Dock holes with a fork and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Bake for 20 minutes or until almost cooked in the centre. Brush the base with a little egg white to seal the pastry to keep the pastry crisp and bake for another 8-10 minutes. You want this crisp like a biscuit or cookie. Cool.

Step 6 - Once the pastry has cooled fill with 1/2 cup of apricot jam and then the custard and smooth out with an angled spatula.

Step 7 - Cut apricots in half and remove seed. Slice thinly and evenly as shown. Fan them to make a vertical line and place gently on the custard. Repeat with the rest of the apricots and then fill any gaps with halved blackcurrants and edible flowers. You can also glaze this tart or leave it unglazed. Mix the 2 tablespoons of apricot jam with the water and microwave for 20 seconds. Mix together and then brush the fruit on top with the glaze.