Apricot Tart with Almond Cream

This French apricot tart with almond cream is one of my summer classics! It’s easy to make, and the tartness of the apricots plays off the sweetness of the almond cream so well.

For the almond cream, I use a slightly lighter version, replacing some of the butter with crème fraîche. I keep the layer thin on purpose, so it doesn’t cover the apricots completely and the tart stays full of fruit. And for a pretty finish, I brush the apricots with a little warm apricot jam at the end to give them a glossy finish.

My Top 5 Tips for Making the Perfect Apricot Tart

I’ve made this apricot tart with almond cream dozens of times, and every single time, I’ve gotten compliments! But since I also made a few mistakes at first, I eventually figured out my own little tricks to make sure it always turns out perfectly. So here are my secrets:

• Choose apricots that are very ripe but still firm: That’s what makes all the difference. If your apricots are too ripe, they’ll release too much juice, and if they’re too firm, they might be too tart.
• Adjust the amount of sugar: You can add a little more sugar to the almond cream and on top, depending on how tart the fruit is. Also keep in mind that apricots tend to be more sour when cooked.
• Blind-bake the crust to prevent it from getting soggy: Since apricots release juice, the tart holds its shape much better if you blind-bake the sweet crust. This ensures a nice, crispy tart that doesn’t get soggy during baking.
• The almond cream expands as it bakes: At first, you might think there isn’t enough almond cream, but don’t worry—it expands as it bakes. Personally, I don’t use too much, but if you have a big sweet tooth, you can double the quantities!
• Let the tart cool slightly before serving: Wait at least 15 minutes after baking. This allows the apricot juice to soak into the almond cream. In the summer, when it’s hot, I also like to put it in the refrigerator and serve it well chilled.

Which Crust Should You Use for Your Apricot Tart?

For this apricot tart with almond cream, I use a pâte sucrée, a French shortcrust pastry made with ground almonds. Pâte sucrée has the advantage of holding its shape well during baking and providing a crisp base that contrasts with the apricots and almond cream.

If you want to save time, you can of course use store-bought pie crust 😉. You can also make this tart with puff pastry, but in that case, I’d recommend my classic apricot tart instead—without the almond cream, just a little almond flour on the bottom to keep the tart from getting soggy.

Apricot Tart with Almond Cream Recipe

Apricot tart with Almond Cream

4.79 (51 reviews)

Apricot tart is definitely one of my favorite fruit tarts! This French recipe for apricot tart with almond cream is a pure delight. 

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Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Kitchen equipment

• 1 tart pan (28 cm / 11 inches)

Ingredients 

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Almond Shortcrust Pastry*

• 140 g unsalted butter softened
• 75 g icing sugar
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 25 g ground almonds
• 1 pinch salt

Almond Cream**

• 50 g icing sugar
• 60 g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 25 g unsalted butter softened
• 1 egg
• 50 g crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or bitter almond extract (optional)

Filling & Finishing

• 800 g apricots ripe but firm
• 1 tbsp cane sugar for sprinkling
• 1 handful slivered almonds optional
• 1 tbsp apricot jam or honey

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

For the almond hortcrust pastry

1. Cream the softened butter with the powdered sugar. Add the egg, then the flour, almond flour, and salt, and mix gently until the dough comes together smoothly.
   
2. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper (2 to 3 cm / about 1 inch larger than your pan) and refrigerate for 1 hour.
   
3. Press the dough into the pan keeping the parchement paper underneath, prick the base with a fork, and chill again for 15 minutes.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Blind-bake for 12 to 15 minutes (lined with parchment and baking beans), until the crust is just starting to color.
   

For the almond cream

1. Meanwhile, mix the almond flour, powdered sugar, and cornstarch. Stir in the melted butter, egg, and crème fraîche, and whisk until smooth. Add the vanilla and bitter almond extract, if using.
   
2. Spread the almond cream in a thin layer over the pre-baked crust.
   

Assemble and bake

1. Pit the apricots, cut them into quarters, and arrange them tightly, hollow side up, pressing them gently into the cream. Sprinkle with a little brown sugar (and slivered almonds, if you like).
   
2. Bake at 350 °F (180 °C) for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cream has set and the apricots are lightly caramelized.
   
3. Let the tart cool a little once it’s out of the oven. Warm the apricot jam (or honey) for a few seconds, stir out any lumps, and brush it over the apricots for a glossy finish.
   

Video

Notes

*You can also replace the pâte sucrée with a simple sweet shortcrust pastry. It contains less butter, and sugar is easier to roll out.  

**This apricot tart is rich in fruits, and the almond cream isn’t too thick. If you have a sweet tooth, you can easily double the amount of almond cream.

Nutrition facts

Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 2545IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg

Ideas for Variations on Apricot Tart

This apricot tart with almond cream is already delicious as is, but you can easily adapt the recipe to suit your tastes and the fruits that are in season.

• With other stone fruits: try peaches, plums, or mirabelle plums, which also pair very well with almond cream.
• Rhubarb version: For a tart with a tangier flavor, replace the apricots with rhubarb (find my recipe here). The combination of rhubarb and almonds is a classic that works wonderfully.
• With a classic almond cream: for a richer, more indulgent version, you can make “real” almond cream—that is, without crème fraîche, using just butter, sugar, eggs, and ground almonds.
• Hazelnut version: Replace the almond flour in the dough and the almond cream with hazelnut flour. It’s really delicious, too!

And if you still have some apricots left, you have to try my apricot clafoutis, my apricot and almond cake (which is naturally gluten-free), or simply my roasted apricots with honey and thyme that you can serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

More French Fruit Tart Recipes

• French Lemon Tart
• Apple Tarte Tatin
• French Pear and Almond Tart (Tarte Bourdaloue)
• Cherry Galette
• Strawberry Tartelettes with Crème Pâtissière