Peach Tart With Almond Crust

Description

Source: THE BIG BOOK OF BACKYARD COOKING - BETTY ROSBOTTOM

A butter-rich nut crust, baked with a filling of fresh sliced peaches sprinkled with sugar and a little lemon zest, makes a tempting dessert to end an outdoor meal. The tart can be served warm soon after it comes from the oven or at room temperature. For an extra indulgence, serve each slice with a scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients

• 6   tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, chilled and diced, plus extra for greasing tart pan
• ¾  cup sliced almonds
• ¾  cup all-purpose flour
• 6   tablespoons sugar
• 1   egg yolk, beaten
• ¼  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2   tablespoons peach preserves
• 6   tablespoons sliced almonds, divided
• 1½ pounds ripe peaches, peeled, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
• 3   tablespoons sugar
• 1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2   tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• 1   pint Crème Fraîche Ice Cream or best-quality vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

1. TO MAKE THE CRUST: Butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. Coarsely grind almonds in a food processor.
3. Add flour and sugar and continue processing until nuts are finely ground.
4. Add 6 tablespoons butter and pulse machine until mixture resembles coarse meal.
5. Pour egg yolk and vanilla over flour mixture, and pulse again until mixture forms large moist clumps.
6. Remove dough from food processor.
7. Press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of tart pan to form a crust.
8. Cover and freeze 30 minutes.
9. When ready to bake pie, arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
10. Bake crust until golden brown, piercing the bottom with a fork if crust bubbles, 20 minutes or longer.
11. Remove, but maintain oven temperature.
12. Cool crust 5 to 10 minutes.
13. TO MAKE THE FILLING: Spread preserves evenly over bottom of crust.
14. Coarsely chop 4 tablespoons of the almonds and sprinkle over bottom of tart shell.
15. Arrange peaches in an overlapping spiral pattern in shell, and sprinkle them with sugar, then with lemon zest.
16. Dot with butter and sprinkle with remaining almonds.
17. Bake until peaches are tender, about 35 minutes.
18. Cool slightly.
19. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream, if desired.

YIELD: SERVE 6 TO 8