Nectarine Tart with Almond Cream

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Nectarine Tart with Almond Cream
Celebrate the sweet nectarines of summer with a Nectarine Tart. This tart starts with a sweet tart pastry which is covered with an almond cream and topped with fresh ripe nectarines.
Recipe type: Dessert | Cream Tart | Fruit Tart
Serves: 8 to 10
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 10" Round Tart with Removable Bottom Pastry: Sweet Tart Pastry Prep: Chilled, Un-Baked Starting Oven Temp: 400° Storage: Covered, Cool Place or Refrigerate
Ingredients
Sweet Tart Pastry:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons half-and-half cream or whipping (heavy) cream
Almond Cream:
  • ⅔ cup blanched almonds
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fruit:
  • 4 large ripe nectarines, pitted, and sliced into 16ths
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
Sweet Tart Pastry:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cream. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the dough comes together and can be formed into a ball. Tip: If the dough seems too dry and is not forming into a ball, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream.
  3. Form dough into a ball and flatten the ball into a 6 inch disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to chill the dough, or refrigerate up to 3 days before using.
  4. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the chilled pastry to a 12 inch circle and fit into one 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press pastry gently against the sides of the tart pan. Trim excess pastry to ½ inch. Fold the edge of the pastry under and press gently around the rim to seal the edge, allowing pastry to extend ⅛ to ¼ inch above the top of the pan to allow for shrinkage. Leave the border plain for a rustic look or crimp as desired. Lightly prick the bottom and sides with a fork at three-fourth or one inch intervals. Place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate tart shell until firm, at least 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, allowing 15 to 20 minutes for the oven to preheat before baking.
Almond Cream:
  1. Grind the almonds finely with the flour in a food processor, blender, or nut grinder. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk; beat until thoroughly mixed. Reduce mixer speed to low, add vanilla and the ground almond mixture and stir just until mixed.
  3. Remove tart shell from refrigerator. Spread the almond cream evenly in the bottom of the tart shell. Set aside.
Fruit:
  1. Halve the nectarines and remove the stones. Tip: Peel the nectarines if desired, or leave unpeeled for extra color.
  2. Cut each nectarine half crosswise in thin slices, about ⅛ inch thick, and arrange on top of the almond cream like the spokes of a wheel, and keeping the slices of each nectarine half together. Fan out by pressing down gently at a slight angle.
  3. Bake: Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is a golden brown and the almond cream is set. About 10 minutes before the end of the baking time, sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over the top of the tart.
Source: Clements, Carole, Baking, Hermes House, New York, 2001