eat make read

I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately, which is a big bummer. I mean, we’re at the height of awesome at the market, but when it comes time to actually make something—and photograph it—I find an excuse not to do it. What do you do when you’re feeling the blah’s? Well, I finally got a little inspiration and talked myself into making possibly the easiest tart ever. It’s lush with color that only comes in summer and the flavor is perfect—not too sweet—end to a meal.

I find it irresistible to walk by those little baskets of both apricots—with their beautiful blushing orange skin—and lush purple figs. I’m such a sucker for pretty food. Since both the figs and apricots are close in size, I cut them both into quarters and began methodically placing them in radiating circles on my pre-made puff pastry. There’s something comforting about this simple step, especially once all the pieces have been placed and you’re left with a tart that looks like it’s going to burst. I sprinkled a little lemon zest over the fruit to give it a little zip, then gently folded the tart over the fruit, leaving an opening to show off the pattern. Finally, I spooned a bit of sugar over the entire tart to both help it sparkle and bring a bit of sweetness to the fruit.

Twenty minutes later I had the perfect cure for my I-don’t-want-to-cook blues. It looked even prettier than it had when I put it in, the golden hue of the pastry only added to the beauty of the tart. I gently cut myself a slice, pairing it with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream. The flavor of the apricots burst forth with their juicy, sweet and tart notes while the fig played more of a textural role. The buttery crust played well with fruit and cool, creaminess of the ice cream. A perfect—and quick—way to enjoy some of summer’s delights.

rustic apricot + fig tart
makes a 12″ tart, serves about 8 people

1 sheet puff pastry
about 10 apricots, pitted and quartered
about 10 figs, quartered
zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
1 Tablespoon sugar

vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°

1
On a piece of parchment, roll out the puff pastry into a 12″x12″ square.

2
Starting about 2-inches from the edge, begin arranging the apricots and figs in a circular pattern, alternating between apricot and fig. Continue until you have 4-5 rings and the entire pastry is covered except for the 2-inches around the edge.

3
Gently spread the lemon zest over the fruit.

4
I cut the corners off my pastry so I had a big circle, but I’m sure you could just skip that step and have an even more rustic looking tart. Pull the edge of the dough over the fruit, it will naturally fold over itself. Continue to pull and fold until all edges have been folded over.

5
Make an egg wash by beating 1 egg with 1 Tablespoon of water. Gently brush it over the pastry.

6
Sprinkle the sugar over both the crust and the fruit.

7
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

8
Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.