Apple Almond Tart Recipe

+ Directions : Sweet-Tart Pastry: 1. To prepare sweet-tart pastry: In food processor with metal blade or in mixing bowl, blend butter, powdered sugar and flour until mixture holds together.

Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of an 11-or 12- inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Pierce pastry with a fork. Bake pastry in preheated 350-degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes or until it is a pale golden color. Remove from oven and cool completely before filling.

To prepare filling: In a food processor with metal blade or in a mixing bowl, mix together almond paste, cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Blend until smooth.

Pour into cooled pastry, spreading evenly.

To prepare topping: Peel, halve and core the apples. cut each half crosswise into very thin slices. Arrange them uniformly on almond filling, spreading them slightly. Press down gently into filling.

Bake filled tart in preheated 375-degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until apples are tender and almond filling is set.

Ten minutes before end of cooking, sprinkle apples with sugar and continue baking until sugar melts and caramelizes slightly.

Transfer to a rack and when cool, brush top with heated apricot preserves. Serve at room temperature.