Pages of Pâtisserie

The Book: MY PARIS KITCHEN: RECIPES AND STORIES BY DAVID LEBOVITZ

(TEN SPEED PRESS, 2014)

Blogger and gourmand David Lebovitz captures Paris’s modern culinary culture with the recipes and anecdotes featured in his delicious cookbook.

APRICOT CRUMBLE TART (TARTE CRUMBLE AUX ABRICOTS)

Serves 8 to 10

One of the secrets of French home “bakers” are rolls of tart dough that are sold in supermarkets in boxes that look similar to those containing rolls of aluminum foil. When you want to make a tart, you simply unroll the dough, line a tart pan, and—voilà!—you’re set to go. It’s a good idea, until you taste the dough (and read the ingredients), and realize that bakeries needn’t worry about the competition. One dessert that’s easy to make at home, which the French have adopted from the English, is le crumble. Because I am a home baker, I don’t have any problem turning this into a tart with homemade dough when fresh apricots from Provence become abundant in the Paris markets each summer.

The first time I saw a fresh apricot (I had only known the dried ones) was when I was baking in upstate New York in the 1980s. Someone brought me a small basket containing just six fruits, which I carefully sliced up to make one tart for eight fortunate customers. So I’m thrilled that I can now get them by the bag load. Still, I do take the time to treat the apricots right, rolling out a tart shell (that I make with pure butter), packing them into the filling, and topping it all with a crunchy topping of nuts and a dusting of cinnamon.

I fit right in with the French because I’m hopelessly radin (cheap) and can’t bear to throw anything away, so I also use the apricot pits to flavor apricot kernel ice cream, which is exactly what I want melting alongside, or on top of, this tart.

DOUGH

6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter, chilled
½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks (37 grams)
1¼ cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) sea salt or kosher salt

CRUMBLE TOPPING

¾ cup (75 grams) whole almonds
½ cup (70 grams) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (60 grams) packed light brown