Source: Ana Maria Kruger
Makes 6 servings.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Tips: Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Peach Tart - Fresh Fruit
Puff Pastry Shell
Ingredients
Preparation
1/2 pound puff pastry (1 sheet)
2 to 3 large fresh peaches, skinned
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, approximately
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup almond filling (optional), see fillings recipe
1/2 cup apricot jam, for glazing
1. Extend pastry sheet to 10-inch x 6-inch about 1/8" thick. Using sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut lengthwise 4 pieces about 1/2-inch wide. Cut 4 more pieces along width also 1/2-inch wide. You may change size and shape of pastry as you please, long narrow shapes work best as middle of tarts becomes soggy if too wide.
2. Place pastry sheet on cookie sheet line with Teflon sheet or greased and floured lightly. Using pastry brush or fingers wet one bottom of strips and edge of remaining sheet of pastry with water. Place one set of strips on top of pastry sheet, forming a border along all sides. Repeat second set of strips on top of first set to build a yet higher border. Refrigerate pastry for 30 minutes or it will loose it's shape during baking.
3. Prick bottom of sheet to prevent puffing too much during baking. Tart will keep it's shape better in a long narrow form rather than wide and short. You may want to place some support along the sides of tart such a baking pans or Aluminum foil to prevent pastry from changing form during baking.
4. Spread almond filling evenly on bottom. Arrange peach slices sprinkling sugar between layers. Dot with butter. Bake at 375 F degrees for approx. 20 minutes.
5. Prepare glaze by pressing jam through a sieve and heat in microwave oven to warm temperature. It's o.k. to allow glaze to boil, it will appear thin but thicken as it cools down. Spread while it still hot. If too thick add few drops of water and re-heat.
6. Remove from oven . Brush with apricot glaze, peaches as well as the rim the of pastry shell. Let cool.
Tart may be serve warm or room temperature.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD:
1. Form pastry as indicated above. Bake empty shell at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed.
2. On top of stove place peach slices, sugar and butter. Simmer for about 5 minutes to barely cook peaches and thicken juices. Spread almond filling, arrange peaches on top including some juices. Brush with glaze and cool.
NOTE: For individual desserts you may use pastry cutting forms and proceed. Baking time may need to be decreased.
