Frangipane tarts are my go-to entertaining dessert all year long. They’re fancy enough that no one suspects I spent all my time on dinner and forgot about the sweet stuff (often the case), but simple enough that I don’t break a sweat getting one into the oven at the very last minute.
The ease of a frangipane tart lies in its components. In this recipe, both the tender shortbread press-in crust and nutty custard are made in the food processor, so assembly and cleanup are streamlined to just one appliance (plus you can make both pieces in advance if you’d like). And while you should absolutely use apricots during their brief but juicy season, most fruit, like berries, cherries, rhubarb, apples, pears, and even bananas, can get the frangipane treatment. Don’t fret too much about finding one that works well with whiskey—the booze adds just a hint of flavor. When served with vanilla ice cream, this tart tastes like the sun setting at 9:30 p.m. —Kendra Vaculin
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What you’ll need
9-Inch Tart Pan
$17 At Amazon
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Food Processor
$70 At Amazon
Scale
$30 At Amazon
Wire Cooling Rack
$17 At Bon Appétit Market
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$28 At Amazon
Silicone Spatula
$13 At Amazon
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Recipe information
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
Filling and assembly
Special equipment
Preparation
Crust
Step 1
Pulse powdered sugar, salt, and 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour in a food processor just to combine. Add butter and pulse until largest pieces are pea-size. Whisk egg yolks and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to blend. Drizzle into food processor and pulse until a crumbly mixture the texture of wet sand forms. Using your hands or the lightly floured bottom of a measuring cup, press mixture into bottom and all the way up sides of pan (it might just barely hold together). Freeze crust until firm, at least 20 minutes.
Step 2
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Prick bottom of crust in several places with a fork and bake until set and lightly browned around the edges, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.
Do ahead: Crust can be made (but not baked) 12 hours ahead. Wrap tightly and keep frozen. Bake from frozen.
Filling and assembly
Step 3
Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.
Step 4
Transfer pecans to a food processor and add egg, granulated sugar, salt, butter, whiskey, and vanilla and process until creamy and mostly smooth (some small pecan pieces are okay; frangipane should be spreadable).
Step 5
Spread frangipane across bottom of crust. Arrange apricots, cut side down, on top, gently pressing into frangipane. Bake tart until frangipane is puffed and just set and crust is golden brown, 25–30 minutes. Let cool, then remove tart from pan and slice into 8 wedges to serve.
Do ahead: Frangipane can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
Recipe notes
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