Fresh Apricot Tart

APRICOT GLAZE
6 tb Apricot jam
Freshly squeezed lemon juice

FILLING
8 Fresh apricots; up to 10
2 lg Or 3 small eggs
2 tb Caster sugar
1 ts Pure vanilla essence
300 ml Cream

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Make the shortcrust pastry in the
usual way and leave to relax in a refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll out the
pastry and line a tart tin (or tins) with a removable base and chill for 10
minutes. Line with kitchen paper and fill with dried beans. Bake blind in a
preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans. Paint the
tart base with a little egg wash and return to the oven for 3-4 minutes.
Leave to cool.

In a small stainless-steel saucepan, melt the apricot jam with a squeeze of
lemon juice, push the hot jam through a sieve and then brush the base of
the tart with a little of the glaze.

Halve the apricots and remove the stones. Arrange one at a time cut-size
upwards inside the tart, the apricots should slightly overlap in the
inside.

Whisk the eggs well with the sugar and vanilla essence, then add the cream.
Pour this mixture over the apricots and bake in the preheated oven for 35
minutes. When the custard is set and the apricots are fully cooked, brush
generously with the apricot glaze and serve warm with a bowl of softly
whipped cream.