Peach season is in full swing, with the prime time for these juicy fruits being from June to September, and August hailed as the peak month. This makes it the ideal moment to whip up a scrumptious peach tart. Mary Berry, the esteemed baker and former judge on The Great British Bake Off , has divulged her own take on this mouth-watering treat.
On her website, Mary penned: "This dessert is as impressive as it is delicious! The recipe works just as well with nectarines or apricots. It takes a little time to do but is so worth it, and is a dish you will be proud of." Whipping up this delectable tart can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, and it's a sublime choice for a summer sweet, perfect for family or impressing guests at a garden bash or barbecue, reports the Express .
Ingredients (Serves 8-10) For the pastry 175g/6oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting 115g/4oz butter, cubed 3 tbsp icing sugar 1 egg, beaten For the creme patisserie 6 egg yolks 115g/4oz caster sugar 55g/2oz plain flour 500ml/18fl oz full-fat milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 100ml/31⁄2fl oz pouring double cream, whipped to soft peaks For the filling 55g (2oz) caster sugar 8 large peaches, halved and thinly sliced About 75g (3oz) apricot jam Equipment 28cm/11in fluted, loose-bottomed tart tin Baking beans Electric whisk Method Kick things off by making the pastry. Measure out the flour, butter, and icing sugar into a food processor, then pulse until the mix starts to look like breadcrumbs. Chuck in the egg and pulse again until the dough forms.
Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and roll the pastry out as thin as you can, ensuring it's a bit larger than your tin. Fit the pastry into the tin, draping any excess over the sides. Jab the base with a fork before chilling or freezing it for 30 minutes.
Get your oven preheated to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Start by lining the pastry case with baking paper and filling it with baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp.
Once cooked, set the pastry aside to cool. In the meantime, start preparing the creme patisserie. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and flour in a large bowl until the mixture becomes thick and pale.
Heat the milk in a saucepan until it's scalding hot. Gradually pour the milk into the bowl, whisking continuously until smooth. Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan, add the vanilla and stir constantly over medium heat until it just starts to boil and the mixture reaches a thick ribbon stage (where a trail of mixture sits on the surface like a ribbon when you lift out the beaters).
Spoon the mixture into a bowl, cover the surface with baking paper to prevent a skin from forming on top and leave it to cool. When the creme patisserie is cold, fold in the whipped cream. Then cover and set aside in the fridge until needed.
To poach the peaches, pour 200ml/7fl oz water and the caster sugar into a wide-based saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring it to a boil for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat, add the peach slices and simmer for a few minutes, until the peaches are soft but not falling apart.
Strain the peaches and leave them to cool. Finally, put the apricot jam in a small saucepan. Place it over low heat and stir until it becomes smooth and runny.
Load up the pastry case with the chilled creme patissiere, ensuring it reaches all corners. Neatly arrange the peach slices in a spiral pattern on top. Glaze the peach slices and pastry edges with apricot jam and pop it in the fridge for half an hour to set before serving.
Slice into portions and serve at room temperature..
