To make the puff
pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut
a quarter of the butter into small pieces and
add them to the bowl. Rub the butter into the
flour with your fingertips. Add just enough cold
water to bind the ingredients and work them into
a ball. Wrap in Clingfilm and refrigerate for 30
minutes.
Put the remaining butter between 2
sheets of baking parchment and, with a rolling
pin, flatten it into a slab about 15cm/6in
square and 1cm/1/2in thick. Chill in the
refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Place
the dough on a lightly floured board and roll it
into a 30cm/12in square. Place the square of butter diagonally in the centre of the dough and
fold the
corners of the dough over the butter so they
meet in the centre. Roll the dough into a
rectangle 30 x 40cm/12 x 18in.
Fold the dough in
thirds and give it a quarter turn. Roll the
dough again into a rectangle and fold into
thirds. Wrap and chill the dough for about 30
minutes. Roll and turn the dough twice more,
refrigerate and repeat, giving it 6 turns in
all. After a final refrigeration, it is ready to
use.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°P/Gas mark 7. If
the apricots are not quite ripe, plunge them
into boiling water, return the water to the boil, then drain, halve and stone them.
Line a 20cm/8in
tart tin with the puff pastry dough, sprinkle
25g/1oz of the caster sugar over the base, then sprinkle on the lemon peel.
Arrange the
apricots in the case. Dust with the remaining
sugar and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then
reduce the heat to 190°C/375°P/Gas mark 5 for 20
to 30 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and
golden brown.
Desserts Recipes -
Apricot Tart
Recipe
