Rainy Days and Sunny Apricot Almond Cream Tart

Normally, I love it here in Northern California. I am embarrassingly proud and sentimental over it. Whenever I see the San Francisco city skyline, I think my heart swells just a little. There is something glorious about the way hills meet the ocean, the mixture of modern skyscapers and pastel Victorians, how everything looks just a bit more lovely and romantic against grey skies and afternoon fog. The sky feels higher, more distant, and the air here always has a bit of a salt tang. I have lived my entire life within a few miles of that glorious bay.

At the same time, I am not exactly happy with the non-Spring that we are having this year. It has been raining since Saturday. Record-breaking rains. On the positive side, it means our drought is over (we live in a place that is surrounded by water and yet we are always threatened by water shortages). And the effect it is had on the livelihoods of local farmers. Rains that have ruin my favorite strawberries several times. And according to someone at my very favorite orchard, there was a possibility that the hail had damaged the apricots, and there was a good chance we would not have any.
Still, I braved the rain on Saturday and stomped alone through the famous Ferry Building Farmer's Market. For my efforts, I had soaked slippers and a few pounds of beautifully bright peach-gold-blush apricots. These were the most perfumey apricots I had ever smelt - I wish I could bottle their scent. And the taste was exquisite. Distinctly flavored, and sweet with just a touch of tartness where the skin met the tender flesh. After I ate at least a pound of them myself, I opted for a simple dessert in which the apricots would be the star. Something that would allow the apricot to keep its flavor and shape. And what could possibly be more appropriate than a tart? Even though they are decadent, there is something elegant and almost light about them. A bit like summer sunshine.

Since these apricots were very flavorful and strong, I opted for a rich almond frangipane instead of delicate pastry cream.  The hearty nutty, roasted effect is further heightened with a brown-butter enhanced crust. The tart tastes warm, and the apricots are almost hidden by the thick nutty pastry cream. And when you bite into them, its as if a small explosion of bright, sunshiny flavor fills your mouth. Its positively addictive.
A few tips: use the very best, fresh apricots you can find. Also, buy raw almonds and roast them in the oven. Not only does this intensify the almond flavor, but it adds a roasted element that offsets the slightly jammy baked apricots.

Apricot Almond Cream Tart
1 brown-butter shortbread tart crust
  (See HERE. Rather than simply melting the butter, add 1/2 tbsp extra butter
   and brown it until it smells nutty and is  deeply golden-brown in color)
Almond Frangipane (nutty pastry cream)
  3.5 ounces whole almonds, roasted at 325°F for 10 minutes
  3 egg yolks
  1/4 cup sugar
  1 tbsp cornstarch
  1 tsp vanilla extract (or scrapings of a 1/2 vanilla bean)
  1/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
8-10 ripe apricot, split in halves with seed removed
Roast almonds. Place into a blender/food processor. Pulse the blender/processor to chop coarsely, then blend, stopping often to redistribute. Stop when the almonds are close to the consistency of a fine cornmeal.
Prepare/bake tart crust. Keep oven at 325°F.
While crust bakes, make almond pastry cream. In a heavy bottom medium saucepan, heat 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream. Slowly pour 1/4 cup heavy cream ONLY into yolk mixture, and whisk mixture while pouring. Use a spatula to get all of the mixture into the pot. Add the ground almonds. Heat over medium heat, while alternatively whisking and scraping the bottom of the pot. Heat until the mixture just begins to bubble, or until it is thick. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream.
Place apricot halves onto the tart crust. Pour (or spread) the almond cream.
Bake the mixture until the almond cream has set and apricots have softened, about 25 minutes.
Tea Pairing: A fruity Darjeeling would work well.

A few little things for you:
This video, about a wonderful (but always crowded) bakery in San Francisco's Mission
This gorgeous photo slideshow of Spring and Japanese cherry blossoms.
This book. For the tea lover and the chef.