Apricot-Hazelnut Tart
Andros Professional Apricot, Hazelnut Sable, Crème Fraîche Biscuit, Honey Chantilly, Lemon Thyme
Pastry Chef Genevieve Meli of Culinary Institute of America | Hyde Park, NY
“For this contest, I made an apricot-hazlenut tart topped with honey chantilly, lemon thyme, and gold leaf. The Andros Professional apricot filling brings out the honey notes in the cream and brightens up the entire dish. I have an apricot tree in my backyard, and when I bake with them, I love eating them with a hazelnut financier. I leaned into those flavors for this dish with the Andros Professional apricot filling as the star of the tart.” — Pastry Chef Genevieve Meli
Adapted by StarChefs | April 2025 | Photo: Meghan Spiro
INGREDIENTS
Hazelnut Sablé:
Yield: 200 tart shells
1.277 kilograms butter, softened
477 grams eggs
1.654 kilograms all-purpose flour
296 grams hazelnut flour
810 grams powdered sugar
472 grams cornstarch
10 grams kosher salt
Crème Fraîche Biscuit:
Yield: 200 servings
133 grams butter
118 grams granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped
88 grams eggs
115 grams all-purpose flour
7 grams baking powder
Kosher salt
136 grams crème fraîche
Honey Chantilly:
Yield: 10 servings
4 grams gelatin, bloomed in ice water
365 grams heavy cream
31 grams honey
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Andros Professional apricot fruit filling
Lemon thyme
Gold leaf
METHOD
For the Hazelnut Sablé:
Heat oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter. Working in batches, add eggs and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer to a silicone-lined sheet tray and spread into an even ¼-inch-thick layer. Place 70-millimeter tart rings in the dough and freeze until firm. Bake 14 minutes. Let cool.
For the Crème Fraîche Biscuit:
Heat oven to 325°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Working in batches, add eggs, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add flour and baking powder. Season with salt. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add crème fraîche and continue to mix until just combined. Transfer mixture to a silicone-lined quarter sheet tray. Spread into an even layer. Bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool.
For the Honey Chantilly:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in bloomed gelatin and honey. Let cool over an ice bath until mixture cools to 45°F. Transfer mixture the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip until medium peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag with a rose tip and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
Using a 2½-inch cookie cutter, punch out Crème Fraîche Biscuits. Using a 1-inch cookie cutter, punch out the center of each Crème Fraîche Biscuit to create a donut-like shape. Set aside. Place Andros Professional apricot fruit filling in a piping bag with a ¼-inch tip. Place additional Andros Professional apricot fruit filling in a piping bag with no tip. Place 1 Tart Shell on a clean work surface. Using the bag with no tip, pipe Andros Professional apricot fruit filling into an even layer. Top with 1 Crème Fraîche Biscuit and desired amount Honey Chantilly. Using the piping bag with the ¼-inch tip, top Honey Chantilly with small dots Andros Professional apricot fruit filling. Garnish with lemon thyme and gold leaves.
