The Ingredients

Use a square form of 34 cm x 24 cm

For the apricot tart: 600 g apricots, 200 g sugar, 140 g butter, 250 g Ricotta, 4 eggs, 2 pkg vanilla sugar (2 x 8 g), some drops of orange flower extract (optional), 1 tbs gin, 1 tsp baking powder, 250 g wheat flour

For the jelly-sauce: 300 – 500 g apricots, 125 g jelly sugar, 125 ml prosecco, 1 tbs gin, lemon juice from half a lemon

A bit of a story here

I’ve been testing different recipes of apricot tart all through the years, in the attempt to replicate the light, creamy consistency of a certain one, that I baked a lifetime ago, in a flash, and with fewer ingredients than the original receipt specified. I had forgotten to buy everything. Maybe the test in the morning, and me learning too long and sleeping too short the night before, had something to do with it. Anyway, the unexpected guest from the far away land was so delighted, that he couldn’t stop himself and devoured almost half of it.

I’ve never achieved to trace back what I’ve done that day. But I’ll keep trying.

What I’m into today

So, here is one of my experiments, it tastes better some hours after it’s done, so be patient, and let it rest for a while. Obviously, the ricotta needs time to develop the whole of its flavor all through the cake. Wondering how to spice up the prospected visual braveness of the tart for the perfect picture, the jelly sauce popped more or less up in my mind, as there were too many apricots left, and some jelly sugar in the cupboard as well. The gin is, of course, optional too; you don’t have to use it if you don’t like it or any alcohol altogether. Or you can replace it with something else, like rum, Calvados, or a smooth bourbon.

The roadmap

Preheat your oven to 175°C. Wash all apricots thoroughly, half them and remove the stone, then cut them in slices (appr. 8 slices each).

Prepare the sauce right away: give slices of apricots, the jelly sugar, the prosecco, and the lemon juice in a stainless-steel pot and cook it on medium to low heat for two to three hours. When ready, add the tablespoon of gin.

For the cake, whisk first the eggs with the sugar, the vanilla sugar, the baking powder, the orange flower extract, and the gin, until you have a nice, light foamy cream. Add the ricotta and the very soft butter, until well incorporated. Very carefully, add the flour and mix, until the tiniest lump is gone.

Pour the dough in the buttered tray, spread evenly, then strew the slices of apricots on it. Bake at 175 to 180°C for 50 minutes. It should be slightly browner than middle brown, but not dark.

What did I get?

On the whole, it is rather a late autumn, winter cake, with a dense, even if light, consistency. Nevertheless, the ricotta keeps it moist and in combination with the apricots, it grants an aromatic, warm, Sunday-kind of taste.