Pies And Tarts
Recipes -
Peach Tart with Almond Cream
Ingredients
4
large ripe peaches, peeled
115g/4oz blanched almonds
15g/2 tbsp plain flour
100g/scant 1/4 cup unsalted butter
115g/1 cup, plus 2 tbsp caster sugar
1
egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1.5ml/1/4 tsp vanilla essence, or 10ml/2 tsp rum
FOR THE
PASTRY
190g.generous 1 1/2 cups plain flour
2.5ml/1/2 tsp slat
100g/scat 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
1
egg yolk
10-45ml/204 tbsp iced water
Method:
Sift the flour
and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the
mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the
egg yolk and enough water to bind the pastry. Gather
into a ball, wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat a baking sheet in the centre of a 200.C/
400"F /Gas 6 oven.
Roll out the
pastry 3mm/~in thick. Transfer to a 25cm/10in pie
dish. Trim the edge, prick the base and chill.
Grind the almonds
with the flour. With an electric mixer, cream the
butter and 115g/ 40z/ scant 3/4 cup of the sugar until
light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg and
yolk. Stir in the almonds and vanilla or rum. Spread
in the pastry case.
Halve the peaches
and remove the stones. Cut crossways in thin slices
and arrange on top of the almond cream like the
spokes of a wheel. Keep the slices of each
peach-half together. Fan out by pressing down gently
at a slight angle.
Bake
until the pastry browns, 10-15 minutes.
Lower the heat to 180.C/350"F /Gas 4 and
bake until the almond cream sets, about 15
minutes more. 10 minutes before the end of
the cooking time, sprinkle with the
remaining sugar.