Best 4 Apricot Almond Bakewell Recipes

APRICOT AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• For the pastry, put the sugar and butter in a bowl and beat together with a wooden spoon (cream) until combined. Sift over the flour and gently mix until incorporated. Stir in the egg, then lightly bring together with your hands. Tip onto a work surface, then lightly knead a few times to make a smooth dough. Divide in half, wrap each piece well in cling film, then leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
• Gently knead one piece of pastry to make it more pliable, then gently shape into a ball and squash down slightly on an unfloured surface. Gently roll the pastry with a rolling pin as quickly as possible, repeatedly turning it about 45 degrees to keep the circle shape.
• When you feel the pastry softening slightly, add a little flour to the work surface and the top of the pastry, then keep rolling until you have a rough circle about 6cm wider than your tin and 3mm thick. Trim the edges a little to make an even circle about 3-4cm wider than your tin.
• Carefully roll the pastry up around the rolling pin, then lay it over the tart case and unroll it from the pin with the floured underside facing up and the more buttery side against the metal tin. Press evenly into the base and sides of the tin, folding the excess back over the outside of the tin. Trim the edge slightly so about 5mm of the tin's outside is showing. Bring the trimmings together and use to help press the pastry into the corners and flutes of the tin, then cover with cling film and chill again for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Fill the pastry case with baking paper and ceramic baking beans or uncooked rice. Put on a baking sheet, cook for 15 minutes, then remove the beans/rice and paper. Bake for 5 minutes more until sandy to the touch. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the frangipane filling. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl with the vanilla, nutmeg and orange zest. Add the ground, whole and flaked almonds and flour, then mix well. Beat in the egg and rum until smooth.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C/150°C fan/gas 3½. Fill the tart case with the frangipane mix and use a dessert spoon or spatula to level the top. Top with the apricot halves or quarters and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and slightly springy.
• Once out of the oven, use a small, sharp serrated knife to cut around the edges of the tart to remove the excess overhang and create super-sharp edges.
• Gently warm the apricot jam, brandy and a splash of water in a pan or the microwave and brush all over the tart while still warm, brushing first the frangipane, then the apricots, then the frangipane again. Serve warm in slices, topped with crème fraîche.

APRICOT & ALMOND BAKEWELL

Steps:

• Roll out the pastry with a little flour until big enough to line a deep 20-23cm loosebottom tart tin. Line the tin with the pastry, leaving any excess overhanging. Chill or freeze for 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the pastry with baking paper, fill with baking beans, then bake blind for 20 mins. Remove the paper and beans, then bake for 5 mins more until the pastry is pale biscuit coloured.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Whizz the madeira cake in a food processor, then tip into a large bowl with the flour, butter, ground almonds, caster sugar and eggs. Briefly beat together until smooth.
• Reduce the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Tip the compote into the pastry case and spread to cover the base. Spoon over the almond mixture and gently spread to cover the compote. Scatter with the flaked almonds, then bake for 1 hr until golden and firm to the touch. Remove onto a serving plate and serve slightly warm, dusted with icing sugar with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey alongside.

APRICOT ALMOND LOAF

Steps:

• Place ingredients (except the almonds) in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select cycle; press Start.
• If your machine has a Fruit setting, add the almonds at the signal, or about 5 minutes before the kneading cycle has finished.

BAKED APRICOTS WITH ALMOND TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish. Process almonds and brown sugar in a food processor until almonds are finely chopped. Add butter; process until just combined.
• Place apricot halves, cut sides up, in buttered baking dish. Cover top of each apricot half with almond mixture. Bake until apricots are soft and almond mixture is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer 3 apricot halves to each serving plate. Serve warm.