Recipe: Apricot, Cherry, and Frangipane Tart

6 individual tartlets

When visiting the morning market in Bordeaux, we found wooden crates brimming with sweet, ripe apricots and dark cherries to make these tarts. At home, you can easily make and refrigerate the frangipan and the unrolled dough several days in advance. Be sure to let the frangipan come to room temperature before using it so it's easy to spread.

For the frangipan, beat together until smooth:

3 ounces almond paste
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 egg

For the tart dough:

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

16 small apricots (about 2 pounds), halved
15 cherries, sweet or sour, pitted
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

1. To make the tart dough, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Use an electric mixer, a pastry blender, or your hands.

2. Add the butter and continue mixing until the butter is partially broken up but still very chunky.

3. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. If it seems too dry you may need to add the additional tablespoon of ice water.

4. Gather the dough with your hands, shape it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until you're ready to roll it out.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 15-inch circle.

6. Transfer the tart dough to a parchment-covered baking sheet.

7. To bake the tart, position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the frangipan over the tart leaving a 2-inch border at the edges.

8. Arrange the apricot halves over the frangipan and put the cherries spaces between the apricot halves.

9. Lift the edges of the dough and fold them over the fruit to create a crust. Be careful not to tear the dough so fruit juices won't leak during baking. Brush the crust with melted butter and sprinkle the tart, the fruit and the crust, with 1/4 cup of sugar. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the apricots have softened and the crust is browned. Cool 5 minutes and transfer the tart from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream.