thefoodlessprocessed

A Swiss fruit tart is versatile. It is not considered exclusively as a dessert, but may be part of a main course, often paired with cheese in some form. Some cooks pour custard over the fruit before it is baked, others prefer the fruit unvarnished. This version is solely about the fruit and is ‘fruit-sweet’, rather than ‘dessert-sweet’.

The less processed ingredients are: Fruit, Butter, Handmade Puff Pastry, and Homemade Apple Juice Concentrate.

Ripening Apricots at Home

The apricots in this tart were further ripened at home for several days by placing them in a brown paper bag along with a banana: Fold down the top of the bag and leave the fruit at room temperature to ripen. (Bananas give off ethylene gas as they ripen and the apricots respond to the gas. A paper bag concentrates the ethylene near the fruit but still allows air to circulate.) Unlike peaches, however, apricots develop their sweetness mainly before they are picked. They will soften and their colour deepen, but they will not become noticeably sweeter.

Once the apricots have softened, yet still hold their shape, test their texture by cutting a slice and tasting it. Further ripening risks making them overripe, but their texture may still be a bit crunchy. Cooking them for a short while in a little apple juice concentrate will not only soften them but add to their sweetness, which is often cut short by early picking.

Equipment

• a Medium-Sized Pot with a Heavy Bottom and Lid
• a Liquid Measuring Cup
• a Large Bowl to hold the apricots as they are sliced
• a Flame Tamer (aka Heat Diffuser, Simmering Plate). The pot does not sit directly over the heat source and the apricot slices can soften very slowly over an even heat. Some versions of flame tamers are compatible with a smooth-top burner.
• a Metal Bowl or another Container that cools quickly
• a Cast Iron Pizza Pan measuring 14-inches in diameter (35.5 cm) (A pan made of cast iron is optional. It creates an exceptionally crisp, flaky pastry.) Other options: a Standard European tart pan or the Flat Base of a Springform Pan without the ring.
• a Pastry Board and Rolling Pin

Ingredients

• 1 pound 11 ounces (765 g) of Organic Apricots: This amount of fruit generously fills a tart of this size.
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) of Homemade Apple Juice Concentrate. Follow this link to the recipe: Apple Juice Concentrate.
• 2 Tablespoons (30 g) of Unsalted European-Style Butter
• 1/2 of a block of Handmade Puff Pastry. The recipe is found through this link: Puff Pastry. If the pastry has been frozen, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator before cutting the block in half. Wrap and refreeze the unused half.

Softening and Sweetening the Apricots

• Halve the unpeeled apricots, remove the pits, and cut them in slices.
• Put the sliced apricots in the pot with 1/2 cup (120 ml) of apple juice concentrate
• Place the pot on the flame tamer and cook the apricots gently for a short while, partially covered, until they just begin to soften, but still hold their shape. Drain the juice off and reserve it in the refrigerator for another use.
• Transfer the apricot slices to a metal bowl and cool them in the refrigerator.

Making the Tart

Gas or Convection Oven:  thefoodlessprocessed uses a gas oven. The conversions from Fahrenheit to Celsius do not attempt to adjust for differences between baking in a gas or convection oven. I have no experience using a convection oven and leave adjustments to the better judgement of you who do have.

• Preheat the oven to 425 F/220 C.
• On a lightly floured pastry board, roll out the dough into a rough circular shape to extend a little beyond the rim of the pan. At this point, the dough and butter are well combined, and the pastry can be rolled out with steady, firm pressure to a thickness of about ¼ inch (6 cm), or even thinner.
• Fold the edges of the pastry circle under to form a slightly raised border. Where the border is narrow, gently stretch it to reach slightly beyond where the outermost circle of fruit will be arranged.
• Place the apricot slices on the pastry in concentric circles and dot them with the butter.

• Bake the tart on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes. The visible rim of dough will be puffed and golden-coloured and the bottom of the pastry also will be golden and crisp.