TARTE AUX ABRICOTS

When fresh apricots are in season, this is a great way to serve them, but it’s also very good with tinned. Serves 8

1 quantity sweet pastry (see below) Flour, for dusting

1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk (eggwash), for glazing

For the crème pâtissière

100g (3½oz) caster sugar 4 medium egg yolks

40g (1½oz) cornflour

500ml (18fl oz) full-fat milk 2 vanilla pods

40g (1½oz) butter

2tbsp kirsch

For the apricot filling

600g (1lb 5oz) ripe apricots, halved and stoned, or tinned apricots, well drained

To glaze

3tbsp apricot jam

1tbsp kirsch

Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

First, make the crème pâtissière. Whisk the sugar, egg yolks and cornflour in a bowl until smoothly combined and set aside. Pour the milk into a heavy-based pan. Split the vanilla pods open, scrape out the seeds with a knife and add these to the milk with the pods. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.

Pour about a quarter of the hot milk onto the egg mixture, whisking as you do so, then return this mixture to the rest of the milk in the pan. Put back over a gentle heat and cook, stirring, until thick. Pass through a sieve into a bowl and stir in the butter. Lay a disc of baking parchment on the surface to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool then chill before using.

Roll out your pastry on a floured surface to a large round, about 3mm thick. Don’t worry if it crumbles on the first roll – just press it together and re-roll. Use the pastry to line a 25cm loose-based tart tin, leaving the excess pastry hanging over the edge. Chill for 15-30 minutes.

Heat your oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ gas 4. Prick the pastry base all over with a fork. Line with parchment and baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, brush the pastry with eggwash and return to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes until cooked and golden brown at the edges. Trim off the rough edges and set aside. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool.

Beat the 2tbsp kirsch into the crème pâtissière and spread it in the cooled pastry case. Arrange the apricots, cut side down, on top. Warm the jam and 1tbsp kirsch until runny, then pass through a sieve. Brush this mixture over the apricots to glaze. If you like you can dust the tart with icing sugar and put it under a hot grill briefly to caramelise the apricots.