Lavender and Apricot Tart

Ingredients

• Butter, cold and cubed125g
• Powdered sugar50g
• Almond flour30g
• All-purpose flour200g
• Egg yolk1
• Ice water15g
• Salt2g
• Dried apricots200g
• Fresh apricot preserves120g
• Heavy cream250g
• Eggs3
• Granulated sugar70g
• Dried culinary lavender4g
• Honey30g
• Vanilla extract5g
• Lemon juice10g

Method

1. 1.Cream cold butter, powdered sugar, almond flour, and salt until just combined. Add flour, then egg yolk and ice water—mix until dough barely holds together.
2. 2.Flatten dough into a disc, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. 3.Warm cream to a simmer, add lavender, cover, and steep for 20 minutes. Strain and discard the lavender.
4. 4.Soak dried apricots in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain and slice into thin half-moons.
5. 5.Roll dough to 3mm thick and line a 24cm tart ring. Dock the base with a fork and chill 20 minutes.
6. 6.Blind bake the shell at 175°C with pie weights for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake 5 minutes more until lightly golden.
7. 7.Spread apricot preserves evenly across the warm tart base. Fan the sliced apricots over the preserves.
8. 8.Whisk eggs, sugar, honey, vanilla, and lemon juice together. Stream in the lavender-infused cream and whisk until smooth.
9. 9.Pour the custard over the apricots, filling to just below the rim.
10. 10.Bake at 160°C for 30–35 minutes until the custard is set with a gentle wobble in the center.
11. 11.Cool completely at room temperature. Brush with a thin layer of warmed honey and garnish with a few lavender buds before serving.