Apricot Basil Shortbread Tart

This is a summertime favourite in our house. We wait for the apricots to come in season and then I whip this little gem together. The crust uses a hard boiled yolk, which is what interested me about this recipe in the first place.

I find this tastes a bit better with a touch of extra salt in the crust and absolutely no more basil than is called for in the recipe. The end result is really pretty - I usually serve it on a dark wooden plate and sprinkle it with a bit of basil for the green colour (I didn't do that in this photo though).

Here's the recipe, which I found online and belongs to Roy Shvartzapel, a pastry chef at Cyrus in Healdsburg, California:

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed basil leaves with stems
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Pastry

• 1 hard-boiled egg yolk
• 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping

• 6 apricots (1 1/4 pounds), halved
• 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup apricot jam, melted

Directions

Make the Pastry Cream

In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of the milk with the sugar and basil; bring to a simmer. Remove the milk from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove the basil and squeeze any milk back into the pan; discard the basil.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of milk with the yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk the egg yolk mixture into the warm milk; bring to a simmer over moderate heat, whisking constantly until very thick, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Scrape the cream into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours.

Make the Pastry

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . Spray a 14-by-4 1/2-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the hard-boiled egg yolk with the butter and sugar at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, potato starch and salt and beat at low speed until just combined. Using lightly floured hands, press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the side of the tart pan. Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes, or until chilled.

Bake the crust for about 25 minutes, until golden. Transfer the crust to a rack and let stand until cooled, about 1 hour.

Make the Topping

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the apricot halves cut side up on the paper and sprinkle all over with the sugar. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the apricots are tender and lightly browned. Let the apricots stand until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.

Unmold the crust and transfer it to a serving plate. Using a small offset spatula, spread the cream evenly in the crust. Arrange the apricots on the cream, cut sides down, and brush with the melted jam. Cut the tart crosswise into strips and serve at once.

Notes

To make a 9-inch round tart, press the dough into a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Use 10 apricots and 1/4 cup of sugar for sprinkling. Double the pastry cream. Bake for 40 minutes.