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This French-inspired apricot tart will delight your tastebuds! It packs soft and juicy fresh apricots that are slightly charred on top of a crunchy pie crust. Finished with apricot jam, this vegan apricot tart is simple yet impressive!
I LOVE fruit tarts: blueberry tart, apple tart, or even plum tart, you name it, I’ll eat it. One of my favorite fruit tarts is actually apricot tart, but not any tart: the one my grandma makes.
She is the best at charring the fruits perfectly. They’re never burnt, just slightly charred on the edges. This not only gives her tarts a rustic finish but also adds a toasty, almost nutty flavor that makes you want to get another slice.
While her apricot tart is wonderful, it’s always a bit too sweet for me. Hence, I took her recipe and reduced the amount of sugar. The problem is that without adding a ton of sugar, apricots tend to become very sour after baking. Worry not, I came up with a technique that consists of poaching the apricots for 5 minutes in a light syrup. The result is a tart that is juicy and fruity without being overly sweet or sour!
⭐️ Why You Should Try It
- Simple & rustic. This apricot tart recipe makes use of 5 basic ingredients that are easy to find. It’s simple to prepare and has a rustic, grandma-style vibe to it!
- Perfectly sweet and juicy. With large and juicy apricots halves, this delightful tart is super fruity and refreshing. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate summer dessert!
- Egg-free and dairy-free. This apricot tart is naturally vegan as it makes use of vegan butter to prepare the shortcrust pastry.
📘 What Is Apricot Tart
Apricot tart, or “tarte aux abricots” in French, is a sweet pie that consists of fresh apricots baked in a shortcrust pastry. It’s a traditional French recipe that is often prepared in the summer when there is an abundance of ripe apricots.
🍑 Ingredient Notes
You are just 5 ingredients away from this delicious tart. Here is what you will need:
- Shortcrust pastry – You can use a store-bought shortcrust pastry or follow the instructions in the recipe if you want to make it yourself. If you want more in-depth instructions, check out my vegan pie crust recipe.
- Fresh apricots – No dried apricots allowed here! Use fresh and ripe apricots.
- Applesauce – It adds moisture and sweetness. Feel free to use your favorite fruit sauce.
- Sugar – To sprinkle on top of the apricots before baking. It will not only bring sweetness but will also help the apricots caramelize.
- Apricot jam – Optional. To glaze the tart after baking.
🥣 How to Make It
It starts with the shortcrust pastry that will take you less than 10 minutes to make. Here is the process for preparing it:
- Make the dough (if you want to make it by yourself). Add the flour, room-temperature butter, salt, and water to a food processor or stand mixer. Process for 20-30 seconds or until it forms a smooth dough.
- Grease a pan. Lightly grease an 8-inch pie pan with butter.
- Flatten and push the dough into the pan. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 10-inch round. Press the flattened dough into the prepared tart pan. Trim off the edges if needed.
- Prick the dough. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the dough evenly. This will allow the steam to escape during baking.
Next, it’s time to assemble the tart:
- Preheat your oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread a thin layer of applesauce. Spread the applesauce on the bottom of the dough.
- Arrange the apricots. Halve the apricots and discard the seeds. Arrange the apricots on top of the applesauce, with each half slightly overlapping (as the apricots will shrink a bit during baking).
- Sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle the apricots with about 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
- Bake. Transfer the apricot tart to the oven and bake for about 55 minutes or until golden brown.
- Glaze. Finally, warm 2-3 tablespoons of apricot jam over low heat. Using a pastry brush, carefully brush the top of the tart to give it a shiny fish.
The apricot filling will appear a bit liquid straight out of the oven. Worry not. It will set as it cools.
How to Remove Sourness from the Apricots
If you don’t want your tart sour, one secret step will remove almost all of the sourness! It consists of poaching the apricots before arranging them on the crust. To do so:
- Add 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, add your pitted apricots and let them simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Next, use a slotted spoon to remove the apricots from the syrup and transfer them to a grid to drain them. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes before using.
❄️ Freezing
This apricot tart freezes well! After baking, let it cool completely before freezing it whole or in slices. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
🍦 What to Serve It With
You can serve this apricot tart warm or chilled! It all depends on your preference. Personally, I prefer it chilled as it brings out the apricot flavor.
This tart can be served as is, with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of coconut cream! You can also sprinkle roasted sliced almonds on top for decoration.
📔 Tips
- Use ripe apricots. You absolutely need to use fresh and ripe apricots here. Unripe apricots would yield a very sour flavor.
- Bake the tart on the bottom rack of your oven. This will allow the crust to cook fully at the bottom. I first tried baking the tart on the middle rack, and the bottom was not cooked thoroughly.
- For a shiny finish. After baking, brush the top of the tart with warm apricot jam. Not only will this add a bit more flavor, but it will also make the tart shinier.
💬 FAQ
No, using dried apricots, even if soaked, will completely alter the flavor and texture of this tart.
I do not recommend omitting it, as it brings moisture and flavor to the tart. However, you can replace it with peach sauce or low-sugar apricot jam.
If baked at the bottom of the oven, the crust is perfectly golden brown and crispy (no need to par-bake!). It won’t become soggy, even after a couple of days in the refrigerator.
You can keep this tart for up to 1 day at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap or foil, or up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
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Apricot Tart
Equipment
Ingredients
Shortcrust pastry
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2-3 tbsp water
Apricot Filling
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 10 medium ripe apricots
- 2-3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2-3 tbsp apricot jam optional
Instructions
Shortcrust pastry
- Make the dough. Place the flour, butter, salt, and water in the bowl of a food processor (fitted with the dough blade) or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.Process for 15-30 seconds or until it forms a smooth dough.
- Grease a pan. Lightly grease an 8-inch pie pan with butter.
- Flatten and push the dough into the pan. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 10-inch round. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into it. Cut off the excess dough if needed.Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the tart several times.
Apricot Filling
- Preheat your oven to
350 °F (175°C) and place a grid on the bottom rack. - Spread a thin layer of applesauce. Spread the applesauce evenly on the bottom of the dough using a spoon.
- Arrange the apricots. Halve the apricots and discard the seeds. Arrange the apricots on top of the applesauce, with each half slightly overlapping (as the apricots will shrink a bit during baking).
- Sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle the apricots with about 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. This will allow the apricots to caramelize slightly.
- Bake. Finally, transfer the apricot tart to the oven and bake for about 55 minutes or until golden brown.
- If you want to give the tart a shinier appearance: heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Next, using a pastry brush, brush the apricots with the jam.
- You can enjoy this tart warm or chilled! It will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
-
- Use ripe apricots. You absolutely need to use fresh and ripe apricots here. Unripe apricots would yield a very sour flavor.
- Bake the tart on the bottom rack of your oven. This will allow the crust to cook fully at the bottom. I first tried baking the tart on the middle rack, and the bottom was not cooked thoroughly.
- For a shiny finish. After baking, brush the top of the tart with warm apricot jam. Not only will this add a bit more flavor, but it will also make the tart shinier.
How to Remove Sourness from the Apricots
If you don’t want your tart sour, one secret step will remove almost all of the sourness! It consists of poaching the apricots before arranging them on the crust. To do so:- Add 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, add your pitted apricots and let them simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Next, use a slotted spoon to remove the apricots from the syrup and transfer them to a grid to drain them. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes before using.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
Amazing recipe!!! My whole family loved it. Thanks for the tips on making the apricots less sour. It worked perfectly. 👍🏼
Glad you liked this tip Emy!
Hi Thomas,
Have you made this with the apricots you use for the Apricot Liquor?
Hi Susan,
I haven’t tried that yet, sorry. I usually only use fresh apricots to make this tart.
Wait I’m so confused, as a french person I thought everyone knew and made this tart? Isn’t it the exact same as any other fruit tart, why is it special to France?
Haha it’s just such a funny coincidence to me. Anyways I plan to make this tart it looks delicious (and it’s vegan!!)
Actually no 🙂 It’s much more popular in France than in the US for example.
I did this one after seeing lots of apricots at the organic market. They were ripe and delicious. First the pastry really works. Its flaky but resistant. Great tip on the oven. Then the filing quite easy to make. My guests really liked it, I found the apricots too sour – but its really a taste matter.
Thanks for your review Catarina!
Yes, apricots tend to become a bit more sour after baking. One way to reduce the acidity (if you don’t like it) is to first poach the apricots in a syrup. To do that, bring about 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar to a boil. Then, add your pitted apricots and let the apricots simmer for about 5 minutes. You can then drain them, arrange on the dough and bake. Hope this helps!
Hello Thomas, thanks for your blog. Do you think i can make the dought kneading it by hand?
Hello F,
Definitely!