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.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
