Mini apricot tarts
As much as I love creating and testing my own recipes I also enjoy recreating and following mouthwatering recipes from famous pastry chefs. I found this recipe while browsing for inspiration and it is an absolute masterpiece. I love how simple the flavors are and how well they go together in one bite. I have mentioned French pastry chef Christophe Michalak a few weeks ago in my strawberry mousse cake post. I was very happy with the end result and the recipe was easy to follow. I always learn something when I recreate one of Michalak's recipes and I really appreciate all of his instructions and advices.
Making the almond cake:
Slowly start adding the sugar and whisk until you have stiff peaks.
This apricot tarts are also his recipe and they worked out great, without any complications at all. The tarts looked very cute and were deliciously light, perfect for a summer treat. You can find the original recipe here, it is in French but easily translated with Google translator (there were a few funny words in translation, but you will get the main part of the recipe).
The bottom of the tart forms "pain de gene" biscuit, which is basically an almond cake. It is very fluffy and super tasty. It is made with marzipan and has a wonderful almond taste that goes extremely well with apricots.
The second component is a basil infused whipped cream. It is best to infuse the cream the day before, to ensure a strong basil flavor. Although I am not the best at growing things, I have two pots of homegrown basil at home, which came handy for this recipe. The cream really pulled all the flavor and aroma from the basil overnight.
The second component is a basil infused whipped cream. It is best to infuse the cream the day before, to ensure a strong basil flavor. Although I am not the best at growing things, I have two pots of homegrown basil at home, which came handy for this recipe. The cream really pulled all the flavor and aroma from the basil overnight.
The last component is an apricot hemisphere dipped in vegetable jelly. The sphere is made only with pure apricot puree and it is then frozen solid. For dipping, I used cold mirror gel instead of making my vegetable jelly and it worked out fine.
The recipe is quite simple, just make sure to serve the tarts as soon as you can, because they do not hold up well in the fridge. I had left a few in the fridge for couple of hours and the apricot jelly started to slip of the cream. The flavor was still delicious but the presentation was less than appealing.
Mini apricot tarts
(Makes about 24)
Time:
Preparation: 25min
Baking: 10min
Cooling: 2 hours
For the almond cake (pain de gene):
- 150g room temperature eggs
- 150g marzipan paste
- 45g butter
- 30g all-purpose flour
- 2g baking powder
- 62g room temperature egg whites
- 20g white granulated sugar
- 150g heavy cream
- 15g mascarpone
- 7g icing sugar (to taste)
- 15 basil leafs
- 150g apricot puree (or 250g fresh apricots)
- cold mirror glaze for dipping
If possible, infuse the heavy cream with basil leafs the day before. Tear the leafs in a small bowl and pour over the heavy cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Making the almond cake:
Preheat oven to 190°C (374°F).
Mix the marzipan with the eggs to a smooth paste. Add the sifted flour and baking powder and mix. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and set aside. Pour the egg whites in a bowl of your electric or hand mixer and whisk until foamy.
Slowly start adding the sugar and whisk until you have stiff peaks.
Fold the egg whites in the marzipan mixture and add the melted butter (butter shouldn't be too hot, under 50°C (122°F)). Stir until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
Pour the batter in a silicon hemisphere mold, 3cm in diameter.
Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until slightly risen and golden brown.
Take out of the oven and set aside to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Making the apricot hemisphere:
If using fresh apricots, cut them in small pieces and take the piths out. Place in a small and narrow plastic container and blitz the apricots with a immersion blender. Blitz until you have a smooth puree. Strain the mixture in a small bowl to get rid of skins and lumps.
Pour the puree in silicon hemisphere molds, 2cm in diameter.
Cover and place in the freezer. Freeze until completely solid.
Assembly:
Place mascarpone and sugar in a small bowl. Take the infused cream out of the fridge and strain into the bowl with mascarpone and sugar. Mix everything with a hand blender and then whip. Normally I like to whip my cream to soft peaks but for this recipe the cream must be stiff enough to hold its shape under the weight of the apricot hemisphere.
Place the cream in a piping bag and pipe a nice rosette on top of a mini almond cake.
Pour a little bit of cold mirror gel in a small bowl and mix. You can quickly warm it up in a microwave. When warm the gel will be runnier and easier to dip the apricot hemisphere in. Unmold the apricot hemisphere, prick it with a toothpick and dip it in the gel. Place it gently on top of the whipped cream.
Decorate with small basil leaf and serve. The basil flavor is present but not too strong to overpower the whole tart. The flavors of apricot, almond and basil work beautifully together, they are something different and definitely worth a try.
Assembly:
Place mascarpone and sugar in a small bowl. Take the infused cream out of the fridge and strain into the bowl with mascarpone and sugar. Mix everything with a hand blender and then whip. Normally I like to whip my cream to soft peaks but for this recipe the cream must be stiff enough to hold its shape under the weight of the apricot hemisphere.
Place the cream in a piping bag and pipe a nice rosette on top of a mini almond cake.
Pour a little bit of cold mirror gel in a small bowl and mix. You can quickly warm it up in a microwave. When warm the gel will be runnier and easier to dip the apricot hemisphere in. Unmold the apricot hemisphere, prick it with a toothpick and dip it in the gel. Place it gently on top of the whipped cream.
Decorate with small basil leaf and serve. The basil flavor is present but not too strong to overpower the whole tart. The flavors of apricot, almond and basil work beautifully together, they are something different and definitely worth a try.
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