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Honey Roasted Apricot Tart with Mascarpone Cream and Star Anise

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 Honey Roasted Apricot Tart – infused with star anise! A simple delicious dessert that highlights fresh summer apricots! 
Honey Roasted Apricot Tart with Star Anise...an incredibly delicious recipe you will love. | www.feastingathome.com

When in season, locally grown apricots are heavenly. In this Honey Roasted Apricot Tart, apricots are drizzled with a star anise-infused honey and roasted briefly until just tender.

This is one of my all time favorite dessert recipes because the apricots paired with the star anise is utterly divine. The crisp cookie like texture of the crust holds up beautifully to the light mascarpone and yogurt filling, adding a welcome sweetness that balances out the acidity of the apricots.

Honey Roasted Apricot Tart with Star Anise...an incredibly delicious recipe you will love. | www.feastingathome.com
Tenderness. This is the word comes to me when holding a perfectly ripe apricot. A velvety soft being, alive, yet so tender to the touch, easily split open with two thumbs. Inside, the kernel is surrounded by orange colored flesh.  I think about tenderness… and when we humans are at our most tender. The place where we are soft enough to let life open our hearts.
Perhaps when one looks at the face of their newborn baby, meeting them for the first time. Or how after heartbreak or loss, our hearts become vulnerable, yet more open, compassionate.  As my father ages, continuing to forget more and more, tenderness slowly and gently takes over the hard places in my heart. The hard knots of unforgiveness gradually loosening. It surprises me.

Too often, apricots purchased at the grocery stores can be disappointing.  To have a better chance of getting good tasting ones… try to buy them locally. This way they are able to stay on the tree longer developing more flavor and sweetness. Whether it’s at a farmer’s market or fruit stand on the side of road, you’ll have a much better chance of getting an apricot that actually tastes like an apricot.  If an apricot is good, it will blow you away with its flavor and fragrance.  Tender, fragrant, and the perfect balance between sweet and tart. This is what apricots should taste like.

The tenderest, sweetest, full flavored apricots are those left on the tree long enough to ripen. Those that remain connected to their source.
A good reminder….
pate sucree crust
Pate Sucree, a french sweet crust, is easy and fast to make and with a little patience, fairly easy to work with.  For the best results see tips below the recipe.
pate sucree crust
The dough comes quickly together in a food processor or stand mixer. Place the flour, salt, sugar and chunks of butter in a food processor and pulse until it is the texture of sand. Gradually add the beaten eggs and cream until it just comes together. Do not over work.
Place on a floured surface and divide dough in two and place one in the freezer for another time. If dough is too soft, place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes. It’s easier to handle when chilled and slightly firm. On a floured surface, press into a disk. Roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness, rolling from the middle out.  To place it in the tart pan, start at one end and wrap the crust around your rolling pin. Gently unwrap it over the tart pan. It does not have to be perfect, and in fact will probably crack and tear a bit. Not to worry, just press it into the tart pan. Using your fingers and palms, patch up any broken spots or tears. Press it up the sides and into the corners. It’s very pliable. To remove excess dough, roll the rolling pin lightly over the top for a nice clean edge. Smooth out with your fingers. Prick the bottom with a fork.
pate sucree crust

Freeze for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for 1 hour). Line tart with parchment. Fill lined tart with a generous amount of rice, dried beans or pie weights. This will ensure that it holds it shape and edges will not sink. Place in 400F oven for 15 minutes, until set. Gently remove tart from the oven and carefully lift out the parchment and rice. Place tart back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until nicely golden. Cool completely. You can make this ahead.

tart crust
Star Anise gives the tart a hint of intrigue. Star Anise is an honest name, for it tastes of anise and is star shaped indeed. Star anise is a seed pod of a native tree found in China and Vietnam, similar to a Magnolia. In China, it is mainly used in savory dishes and is one of the spices of traditional Chinese Five Spice. It is also used in Indian Cuisine. However it is used, it imparts a flavor that takes you far way.
 
star anise pods

Star Anise, infused in honey gives the roasted apricots a subtle exoticness.

star anise honey

Honey can be easily infused with different flavors by simply heating it up for a few minutes and letting whatever spice or herb seep in it over night. I often make rosemary honey and lavender honey to use in catering. Drizzled over fresh figs, it’s delectable.  A cute jar of infused honey would make a great gift.

star anise honey

Apricots drizzled with the star anise infused honey are roasted in a 400F oven  for 7-10 minutes. It doesn’t take very long…so be vigilant. Leaving them too long in a hot oven will result in mushy collapsed apricots. You don’t want this. You want them to hold their shape. The time is dependent on the ripeness of the apricot. Ripe apricots will literally take a few minutes. Less ripe, longer.

roasted apricots
Apricot Tart
For a fun little finger desserts, you could also make mini tartlets.
Apricot Tart with Star Anise...an incredibly delicious recipe you will love. | www.feastingathome.com
Hope you enjoy this one. I love it.
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Honey Roasted Apricot Tart with Mascarpone Cream and Star Anise

Apricot Tart with Mascarpone Cream and Star Anise

A decadent Apricot tart infused with star anise. This is hands down one of my favorite desserts, but it does take time. Make sure to read the directions all the way through first. It’s much easier if you make the tart shell and infused honey a day ahead.

  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine
  • Prep Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: pacific Northwest
Scale

Ingredients

 Pate Sucree Crust 
  • 1/8 cup half and half or cream
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 Cups flour
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter , cut into small 1 inch chunks
Honey Roasted Apricots with Star Anise
  • 1/2 Cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 8 whole Star Anise pods
  • 10–12 Apricots- semi firm

Mascarpone cream

  • 1 Cup  ( 8 oz) mascarpone
  • 1 Cup plain greek style yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Make the crust ( it’s nice to make this a day ahead) In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and cream. In a food processor, combine flour salt and sugar. Mix well. Add butter. Pulse until texture is like sand. Gradually add egg mixture and pulse until it forms a ball. If mixture seems dry or is not forming a dough, add a tablespoon of ice cold water. Form a ball, place on a plastic wrap, flatten, wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
Place dough between two layers of parchment and roll it out until 1/4 in thick, rolling from the middle out. It may not look perfect, with cracks and uneven edges. Not to worry, you can tidy it up in the tart pan. Starting at one edge, wrap dough around the rolling pin and lift it onto the tart pan. Unwrap and gently start pressing it into the pan, patching up any tears and pressing it into the sides and corners with your fingers. To remove excess dough, roll the rolling pin lightly over the top for a nice clean edge. Smooth out with your fingers. Prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze for 30 minutes and pre heat the oven to 400F.
Line the tart shell with parchment paper. Fill the parchment lined tart with a pie weights, beans, or generous amount of rice. This will ensure that it holds it shape and edges will not sink. Place in 400F oven for 15 minutes, or until set. Gently remove tart from the oven and carefully lift out the parchment and rice. Place tart back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until nicely golden. Cool completely. You can make this ahead.
Make the infused honey. In a small sauce pan add 8 star anise seed pods to 1/2 cup honey  and 1 tablespoon water and heat to a low simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring and coating star anise with honey. Let steep for at least 30 minutes or preferably overnight. You can do this ahead.
Roast the apricots: Cut apricots in half and remove stones. Place in a buttered baking dish,  open side up. Drizzle all but 3 T of the infused honey (which you will use for the mascarpone filling) over the apricots. Place in a 400 F oven for  5 minutes, check for doneness, and swirl baking dish a bit to allow honey to fully coat the apricots on all sides. On average, they will need a total of 10 minutes in the oven. They should be just tender, but still hold their form. Very ripe apricots will done in less than 10 minutes. Less ripe will take longer. So check frequently as they can deflate and turn into mush in a matter of minutes.
Make the Filling: Let mascarpone come to room temp. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment ( or by hand) mix the  3 tablespoons of star anise– infused honey into mascarpone until fully incorporated. Whisk in the yogurt.
Assemble: Fill cooled tart shell with Mascarpone Yogurt Cream. Top with roasted apricots. Drizzle the the remaining star anise honey from the apricot’s roasting pan over the entire dessert. Use star anise as garnish. Let chill for a few hours to set. Or you could chill the tart with just the mascarpone, letting it set, and just before serving place the warm apricots over the tart.
mmmmm.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 365

Keywords: apricot tart, apricot tart recipe, apricot recipes, apricot dessert recipes, apricot recipes

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Comments

  4. LDinka says

    May 12, 2013 at 1:38 am

    When I saw a photo of this masterpiece, I knew I have to try to make it, so this was the first thing on my weekend “to do” list. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe, clear directions and beautiful photos:)

    Reply

  5. Julia says

    May 12, 2013 at 2:07 am

    I am always looking for unusual recipes and I love apricots… I grew up on a Black Sea and my mother had an apricot tree in her yard so I know exactly what you are talking about describing ripe apricot! There are not too many interesting recipes with this fruit so thank you very much for developing and sharing this one — will have to wait until August to make it but something to look forward to!

    Reply

  7. Kathryn Sparks says

    September 21, 2015 at 11:07 am

    I’m not wild about anything licorice-flavored, but I would probably find this delicious *anyway*, it’s so beautiful. Perhaps if I make it I’ll substitute cloves. Lovely, all the same!
    xo,
    Kathryn

    Reply

    • Sylvia Fountaine says

      September 23, 2015 at 8:46 am

      The star anise give it a a hint of exotic flavor, not overpowering, I encourage you to give a try- i think you will be surprised.

      Reply