The best apricot galette

Instructions

1. 1

   Start by making the pastry. Place the toasted almonds into a food processor and blitz until finely ground. Add the flours and blitz again until well combined. Add the sugar.

2. 2

   Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl. Using the food processor, pulse it into the flour a few times, until it’s in pea-sized pieces. Don’t pulse too finely, as you want visible streaks of butter to be able to melt in the oven for a flaky pastry.

3. 3

   Remove the blade from the processor. Whisk together the egg yolk with 4 tbsp cold water, then add to the mixture and stir with a roundbladed knife until the dough starts to come together. You may need to add a little more water, but don’t overdo it as you’re looking for a fairly dry dough.

4. 4

   Squeeze the dough between your hands to make a coherent ball, then wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

5. 5

   Spread a large piece of baking parchment over the worktop and place the chilled pastry into the centre. Roll it out to a large circle, around 30cm diameter and around 0.5cm thick – the edges will be a little craggy. Slide the pastry on the parchment to a large flat baking sheet, cover loosely, then chill again while you prepare the filling.

6. 6

   For the filling, slice the apricots in ½, remove the stones and cut each ½ into 3 wedges. Put into a large mixing bowl and add the caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla paste and leaves from ½ the lemon thyme. Mix well and set aside.

7. 7

   Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. Sprinkle the centre of the pastry with ground almonds. Arrange the fruit in the centre in a single layer – create a spiral, if liked – leaving a clear border of 3cm. Try not to pile the fruit pieces on top of each other, or the resulting tart will be too wet.

8. 8

   Create the galette by using the parchment paper to fold the pastry edges up around the fruit and press it around the edges. Repeat all the way around, and don’t worry about it being neat – that’s the beauty of the galette! Brush the top of the pastry edge with beaten egg white and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.

9. 9

   Bake the galette for 40-45 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and crisp all the way around. Brush the fruit with warmed apricot jam for a glorious shine. The filling may look runny, so allow to cool to room temperature before slicing and it will thicken and set. Serve with the remaining lemon thyme leaves and double cream or vanilla ice cream.