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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, allowing 15 to 20 minutes for the oven to preheat before baking.
Almond Cream:
- Grind the almonds finely with the flour in a food processor, blender, or nut grinder. Set aside.
- 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.
- Remove tart shell from refrigerator. Spread the almond cream evenly in the bottom of the tart shell. Set aside.
Fruit:
- Halve the nectarines and remove the stones. Tip: Peel the nectarines if desired, or leave unpeeled for extra color.
- 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.
- 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