Peach & Almond Tart Recipe

Introduction

This delightful Peach & Almond Tart combines a crisp, buttery pastry with a rich, nutty almond cream and juicy fresh peaches. It’s a perfect dessert for summer gatherings or a special occasion, offering a balance of sweet and tangy flavors with a satisfying crunch.

Ingredients

• 100ml cold butter
• 200g plain flour
• 85g caster sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• Grated zest of a lemon
• 50g blanched whole almonds
• 50g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 1 large egg and 1 egg yolk
• 50g amaretti biscuits, lightly crushed
• 5-6 peaches or nectarines (depending on size)
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds
• Icing sugar, to dust

Instructions

1. Step 1: Dice the cold butter into small pieces. To make this easier, dip your knife in flour and coat the butter pieces as you cut. Place the diced butter and plain flour into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Step 2: Add a pinch of salt, 85g caster sugar, egg yolks, and lemon zest to the processor. Pulse again until the dough comes together into a ball. Remove it, shape into a compact log with minimal handling, wrap in cling film or foil, and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Step 3: Butter and flour a 24cm tart tin thoroughly. Cut the chilled pastry log into thin, even slices and use these to line the bottom and sides of the tin, slightly overlapping. Keep your hands cold and dry by using ice cubes and paper towels while working.
4. Step 4: Pat the pastry lightly to even the base and make the sides a little thicker. Run an ice cube quickly across the base from center to edges to even it further. Chill the pastry case again while preparing the filling.
5. Step 5: In a food processor, combine the blanched almonds and 50g caster sugar and pulse until finely chopped. Add diced butter and plain flour, then pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
6. Step 6: Add the large egg and egg yolk to the almond mixture and process briefly until creamy and soft. Add the crushed amaretti biscuits and give a quick pulse to combine. Chill this almond cream mixture.
7. Step 7: Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4, fan 160°C). Bring a pan of water to boil, dip peaches into boiling water for a few seconds, then transfer to cold water. Peel, halve, and stone the peaches. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.
8. Step 8: Spread the chilled almond cream evenly in the base of the pastry shell. Arrange the peach halves on top, rounded side up, trimming if needed to fill the center. Scatter flaked almonds over the top.
9. Step 9: Bake the tart for 25-35 minutes until golden. Test the filling with a toothpick; it should come out almost clean. The pastry edges should start to shrink away from the tin.
10. Step 10: Allow the tart to cool and dust with icing sugar before serving at room temperature. Enjoy it with a glass of Tuscan Vin Santo if you like.

Tips & Variations

• Try using other fruits depending on the season: strawberries or early summer peaches, figs or grapes in late summer, pears and walnuts in autumn, and apples during winter.
• If possible, crack open peach stones to extract the kernels inside and pulse them with the almonds for a unique bittersweet almond flavor.

Storage

Store the tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For best flavor, bring it to room temperature before serving. Reheat gently in a low oven if desired to revive the crispness of the pastry.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen peaches for this tart?

While fresh peaches are best for texture and flavor, you can use frozen peaches if necessary. Thaw them completely and drain any excess juice before arranging on the tart to avoid sogginess.

How can I make the pastry less likely to shrink?

Chilling the pastry well before lining the tart tin and again before baking helps reduce shrinkage. Avoid stretching the dough when placing it in the tin, and running an ice cube over the base evens it out to prevent uneven shrinking.

Peach & Almond Tart Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 539 reviews

• Author: Ben
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

This delightful Peach & Almond Tart combines a buttery, flaky pastry with a rich almond and amaretti cream filling, topped with fresh peaches and crunchy flaked almonds. Perfectly balanced with lemon zest and a dusting of icing sugar, this tart is an elegant dessert that captures the essence of summer fruit and nut flavors.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pastry:

• 100ml cold butter, diced
• 200g plain flour
• 85g caster sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• Grated zest of 1 lemon

Almond Cream Filling:

• 50g blanched whole almonds
• 50g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp for peaches
• 50g butter, diced
• 50g plain flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 50g amaretti biscuits, lightly crushed

Topping:

• 5–6 peaches or nectarines, peeled, halved and stoned
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds
• Icing sugar, to dust

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Pastry: Dice the cold butter into small pieces, dipping your knife in flour to make the process easier. Combine the diced butter and plain flour in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt, caster sugar, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Pulse again until the dough starts to come together into a ball. Remove, wrap in cling film, shape into a compact log, and chill for at least 1 hour to prevent shrinking during baking.
2. Line the Tart Tin: Thoroughly butter and flour a 24cm tart tin. Unwrap the chilled pastry and cut it into thin, even slices. Cover the bottom and sides of the tin using these slices, slightly overlapping them and working quickly to keep the dough cold, using ice cubes and paper towels to chill and dry your fingers. Pat the pastry base lightly to even it out and make the sides a little thicker. Run an ice cube from the center to edges to smooth the base and chill again.
3. Make the Almond Cream: Place the blanched almonds and 50g caster sugar in the food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add the diced butter and flour, pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the whole egg and egg yolk, processing briefly until soft and creamy. Add the crushed amaretti biscuits and pulse briefly to combine. Chill this almond cream until needed.
4. Prepare the Peaches: Bring a pan of water to a boil and immerse the peaches for a few seconds, then transfer them to cold water to cool. Peel, halve, and stone the peaches. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and leave aside for 5 minutes to macerate.
5. Assemble the Tart: Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas 4, fan 160°C). Spread the almond-amaretti cream evenly in the chilled pastry shell. Arrange the peach halves on top, rounded side up, trimming if necessary to fill the center space. Scatter the flaked almonds over the peaches.
6. Bake: Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes until golden brown. Test the filling with a toothpick; it should come out with only a few moist crumbs. Ensure the pastry no longer shrinks from the sides of the tin.
7. Serve: Allow the tart to cool to room temperature. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. This tart pairs wonderfully with a glass of Tuscan Vin Santo for an authentic Italian touch.

Notes

• Try substituting peaches with other seasonal fruits such as strawberries, figs, grapes, pears, walnuts, or apples according to availability and season.
• For an added almond flavor, try cracking open the peach stones to use the kernels inside when pulsing almonds.
• Keep your hands cold and dry when working with the pastry to prevent it from becoming too soft and sticky.
• Resting the pastry dough for longer than 1 hour helps prevent shrinking during baking.
• Ensure the tart tin is well buttered and floured to facilitate easy removal after baking.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Peach tart, almond cream tart, amaretti tart, summer dessert, Italian dessert, fruit tart