Ingredients for Apricot Frangipane Tartlets with Lavender Cream
Makes 6 tartlets. You will need 10 apricots and three separate preparations.
For the pastry:
- 250 g plain wheat flour (T55)
- 180 g unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 60 g icing sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 pinch of fine salt
For the frangipane:
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 125 g granulated sugar
- 125 g almond flour
- 20 g plain wheat flour (T55)
- 2 eggs
For the lavender cream:
- 100 g thick crème fraîche
- 30 g honey
- 15 g dried lavender
Preparation: From Shells to Filling
Begin with the pastry. Preheat your oven to 180 °C and pit the apricots. Combine the icing sugar, flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then add the softened butter, the egg and the seeds from the vanilla pod. Work the mixture until it comes together into a smooth ball. Flatten the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
While the pastry rests, make the frangipane. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the almond flour and plain flour. Incorporate the eggs until the mixture is a smooth, spoonable cream. The lavender cream is quick: loosen the thick crème fraîche with a little honey, fold in the dried lavender and keep it chilled until service.
Roll the chilled pastry out to about 5 mm thick and cut disks that are 3 cm larger than your tartlet molds. Line the molds with the pastry, trim the edges if needed, then cover each shell with a sheet of parchment and fill with baking beads or dried beans for blind baking. Bake blind for 10 minutes at 180 °C. Remove the beads and parchment, then continue baking for another 10 minutes until the shells turn a light golden color.
Fill each pre-baked shell with frangipane, leaving a little space at the top. Arrange the halved apricots on the frangipane, cut side down or arranged decoratively, and return the tartlets to the oven for 20 minutes. Bake until the frangipane has risen, turned golden and feels set to the touch.
Tips for Clean, Crisp Tartlets
Blind baking matters: the baking beads keep the base flat and help dry it out before you add the moist filling, preventing a soggy bottom under the frangipane. Avoid overfilling the molds because the frangipane rises during baking and can spill over. Allow the tartlets to cool completely before unmolding; the pastry is fragile while still warm and can crack if handled too soon. Serve each tartlet with a spoonful of the chilled lavender cream and a dusting of icing sugar for a simple, elegant finish.
You can prepare components in advance: the pastry can be made and chilled, the frangipane mixed and kept refrigerated, and the lavender cream prepared and stored cold until needed. When assembling, make sure the shells are fully cool before adding the frangipane and fruit to ensure even baking and a neat presentation.