Frangipane tarts are classic for good reason – the filling is the perfect foil for all kinds of fruit, especially apricots.

Apricot frangipane tart

Frangipane tarts are classic for good reason – the almondy filling is the perfect foil for all kinds of fruit, but this pairing with apricots is particularly good. A thin layer of apricot jam in the base amps up the apricot (the apricot and orange-blossom jam recipe on page 91 would be lovely). For a little bit of gloss, warm extra apricot jam over low heat until it melts, strain it through a sieve and brush it over the tart while it’s still warm.

Prep time 40 mins, cook 1 hr (plus resting, cooling)

Serves 8-10

130 gm caster sugar

100 gm softened butter

Scraped seeds of 2 vanilla beans

Finely grated rind and juice of ½ orange ½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 eggs

50 gm ( 1/ cup) plain flour

3

50 ml brandy

150 gm almond meal

120 gm apricot jam (optional)

7 ripe apricots, each cut into 6 pieces

Sweet pastry

300 gm (22/ cups) plain flour

3

90 gm pure icing sugar, sieved 180 gm cold butter, diced

1 egg yolk

1 For sweet pastry, pulse flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, pulse until fine crumbs form, then add egg yolk and 1 tbsp iced water and pulse to combine. Turn out onto a work surface, bring pastry together with the heel of your hand, form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (30 minutes).

2 Meanwhile, beat sugar, butter, vanilla seeds, rind, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer until pale (4-5 minutes). Add eggs, flour, brandy and juice, and beat to combine. Stir in almond meal and refrigerate until chilled (1-2 hours).

3 Preheat oven to 180C and line an oven tray with baking paper. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick. Place a 4cm-deep, 23cm-diameter ring tin or loose-bottomed tart tin on the oven tray and line it with pastry, allowing excess to overhang. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest, then trim edges.

4 Spread jam on base of tart case, then spread frangipane over the top. Arrange apricots on top, pressing lightly into frangipane, then bake until golden and centre springs back when lightly pressed (50 minutes to 1 hour). Cool in tin for an hour, then serve. This tart is best eaten on the day it’s made, but will still be good the next day; store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Grilled apricot salad with jamón and Manchego

Here we’ve scorched apricots on the grill and served them with torn jamón, shaved Manchego and peppery rocket leaves. Think of it as a twist on the good old melon-prosciutto routine. The mixture would also be great served on charred sourdough.

Prep time 15 mins, cook 5 mins

Serves 4 as an entrée (pictured p88)

6 apricots, halved

Olive oil, for drizzling

8 thin slices jamón Ibérico, or other dry-cured ham, such as prosciutto, torn 1½ cups (loosely packed) rocket

½ cup mint

¼ Spanish onion, thinly sliced

30 gm Manchego, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Coarsely chopped smoked or roasted almonds, to serve

Sherry vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, finely grated

Juice and finely grated rind of ½ lemon 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp sherry vinegar, or to taste

1 Preheat a barbecue or char-grill pan to high. Drizzle cut sides of apricots with oil, season to taste and grill cut-side down until charred and just tender (2-3 minutes). Cool briefly and season to taste.

2 For sherry vinaigrette, combine garlic, juice and rind in a jar and set aside for a few minutes to soften the garlic. Add remaining ingredients, season generously to taste and just before serving shake well to combine.

3 Arrange grilled apricots and torn jamón Ibérico on serving plates and drizzle with a little sherry vinaigrette. Combine rocket, mint and onion in a bowl, drizzle with a little dressing, season to taste and toss to combine, scatter salad over apricots and jamón, top with Manchego and almonds and serve.

Apricot and coconut crumble cake

Apricots and coconut are an excellent combination, especially in a cake with a crunchy crumble topping. Using rapadura sugar or coconut sugar gives a beautiful caramel richness to the batter, which is offset by the tang of the apricots.

Prep time 20 mins, cook 1 hr (plus cooling)

Serves 8-10 (pictured p92)

160 gm softened butter, plus extra for greasing 140 gm rapadura sugar or coconut sugar

(see note)

Finely grated rind of 1 lime

Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean

2 eggs

160 gm plain flour

90 gm shredded coconut

1 tsp baking powder

150 ml well-shaken coconut milk

40 gm dried apricots, diced

5 apricots, coarsely chopped

Coconut crumble

75 gm plain flour

60 gm chilled butter, cubed

2 tbsp rapadura sugar or coconut sugar 2 tbsp shredded coconut

1 tbsp coconut flakes

1 Preheat oven to 170C. Butter a 15cm x 32cm cake tin or a 21cm-diameter cake tin and line it with baking paper. Beat butter, sugar, rind and vanilla seeds in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (4-5 minutes). Scrape down sides of bowl and add eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl between additions. Stir in flour, coconut, baking powder and ½ tsp salt, then stir in coconut milk. Stir in dried apricot, spoon batter into prepared tin and smooth top, then scatter with chopped apricot.

2 For coconut crumble, rub ingredients and a pinch of salt in a bowl until coarse crumbs form, scatter crumble around apricots, then bake until golden brown and centre springs back when lightly pressed (50 minutes to 1 hour). Cool in tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Note Rapadura sugar and coconut sugar are available from select health-food shops and supermarkets. If they’re unavailable, substitute brown sugar.>

Apricot jelly with baklava ice-cream

A jewel-like jelly made from seasonal fruit is a thing of beauty. We’ve made a large fluted ring version, but if the idea of turning the jelly out worries you, set it in a large glass bowl instead. It needs less gelatine if you do it this way, so reduce the quantity by a leaf or two. Caramelised apricots would make a lovely addition if the fancy takes you. Begin this recipe a day ahead to let the jelly set.

Prep time 25 mins, cook 20 mins (plus cooling, freezing, overnight setting)

Serves 8 (pictured p89)

1 kg ripe apricots, coarsely chopped

750 ml (3 cups) moscato or sparkling wine

330 gm (1½ cups) caster sugar

Juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon 10 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes

Crumbled baklava, to serve

Baklava ice-cream

600 ml pouring cream

100 ml milk

100 gm honey

7 egg yolks

2 tbsp caster sugar

150 gm baklava, coarsely chopped

1 For baklava ice-cream, bring cream, milk and honey to a simmer in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Meanwhile, whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale (2-3 minutes). Whisking continuously, add cream mixture to yolks, then return mixture to pan and stir continuously until mixture thickly coats the back of a spoon (4-5 minutes). Strain into a bowl and cool, whisking occasionally, then refrigerate until chilled (3-4 hours). Churn in an ice-cream machine, adding the baklava towards the end of churning. Transfer to a container, cover and freeze. Makes about 1 litre.

2 Stir apricots, moscato, sugar, juices and 500ml water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until apricots start to break down (15-20 minutes). Strain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with muslin into a jug to yield 1.25 litres. Don’t press on the solids if you want a crystal-clear jelly. Transfer 500ml apricot liquid to a clean pan, squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to pan and stir over medium heat until gelatine dissolves. Remove pan from heat, add remaining apricot liquid and stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly, then pour into a 1.5-litre mould. Refrigerate overnight to set.

3 To serve, dip mould in a bowl of just-boiled water, then remove and gently pull the jelly away from the sides of the mould to break the vacuum. Place a chilled serving plate on top, invert the plate and mould, then remove mould – your jelly should be happily wobbling on your platter. Scatter with extra crumbled baklava and serve with baklava ice-cream.

Roast apricot and vanilla fool

A fool is one of the simplest yet most delicious desserts you can make. A ripple of tangy roasted apricot cuts through the richness of the cream, while a scattering of meringue or almond biscuits adds.

Prep time 15 mins, cook 25 mins (plus cooling)

Serves 4

220 gm (1 cup) caster sugar

8 apricots, halved

50 ml dessert wine

Juice of ½ orange and ½ lemon

400 gm crème fraîche

300 ml thickened cream

Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean Almond biscuits or meringue, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 220C. Scatter sugar over the base of a roasting pan large enough to fit apricots snugly in a single layer. Press apricots cut-side down into sugar, stand for 5 minutes for sugar to form a crust, then turn apricots cut-side up. Combine dessert wine and juices in a jug, drizzle over and around apricots and roast, basting occasionally, until browned (20-25 minutes).

Cool briefly, then set aside 8 apricot halves and roasting liquid. Purée remaining roast apricots in a food processor and refrigerate to chill.

2 Whisk crème fraîche, cream, vanilla seeds and 80ml apricot roasting liquid in an electric mixer to soft peaks (4-5 minutes), fold apricot purée through cream and divide among serving bowls. Top with reserved roast apricot halves, drizzle with roasting liquid and serve scattered with crumbled almond biscuits or meringue.