This elegant peach tart is an easy make-ahead dessert that beautifully showcases fresh summer produce. It tastes best when served chilled and is the perfect dessert for a warm summer night. A gorgeous fan of sliced peaches tops a mascarpone filling over an almond pastry crust. You don't even need to peel the fresh peaches. In fact, the color from the peach skin adds a lovely color to the tart. That lovely sheen on top of the tart is achieved by brushing warmed apricot jam over the sliced fresh peaches. It is an easy trick that makes a fruit tart look like it came straight from a high-end pastry shop.
A fresh fruit tart like this one can be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator until ready to slice and serve. It is best enjoyed with a day or two of baking the crust in order to keep it from getting soggy. If you don't have a fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, a springform pan can be used instead. In that case, press the crust only into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.
If you'd like to make a peach tart off season, be sure to select canned peaches that have been packed in juice and drain thoroughly before slicing them to the desired thickness for fanning on top of the tart. About 8 peach slices will equal one cup.
Ingredients
Crust:
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
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2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Filling:
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1 cup mascarpone
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1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
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1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
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1/2 cup heavy cream
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract
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4 to 6 ripe peaches
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1/4 cup apricot jam
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 400 F.
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Place the flour, almonds, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until blended. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces form. Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture forms a soft dough.
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Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
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In a large bowl, mix the mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until smooth.
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In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Then fold it into the mascarpone mixture.
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Spread the mixture into the cooled tart crust.
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Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.
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Select the larger slices, and place on top of the tart in an overlapping fan shape starting from the crust and working your way in. Use the smaller slices as you get closer to the center of the tart. You will use between 4 and 6 peaches to get enough slices to cover the surface of the tart.
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Gently warm the apricot jam on the stovetop in a small pan until liquefied. Brush the peaches with the liquefied apricot jam to glaze.
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Refrigerate the tart at least 1 hour or overnight before slicing and serving.
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Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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579 | Calories |
44g | Fat |
44g | Carbs |
7g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 579 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 44g | 56% |
Saturated Fat 24g | 122% |
Cholesterol 116mg | 39% |
Sodium 387mg | 17% |
Total Carbohydrate 44g | 16% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 9% |
Total Sugars 27g | |
Protein 7g | |
Vitamin C 7mg | 35% |
Calcium 86mg | 7% |
Iron 1mg | 8% |
Potassium 321mg | 7% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |