Hazelnut Frangipane Tart With Apricot - unsalted butter

Method

• PATE SABLEE: With a standing mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low.
• Add flour and salt, and beat until just combined and crumbly (do not over mix).
• Shape dough into a 9-inch round disk, and wrap in plastic.
• Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days), or freeze for up to 1 month.
• Makes 1 x 9-inch tart shell.
• Cut dough into a 6-inch round piece (reserve remaining dough for another use), and press into a 9-inch round tart pan with removeable bottom, making dough abou 1/4 i-inch thick.
• Patch with pieces of dough if necessary.
• Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Trim dough flush with rim and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F Line tart shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
• Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes.
• Rotate tart shell, and remove parchment and weights.
• Cover edges with a strip of foil.
• Bake until bottom is crisp and lightly golden, 10-15 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325F.
• Pulse 1/3 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground.
• Stir together ground hazelnuts, flour and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
• Beat in egg.
• Add hazelnut mixture, and beat until just combined (frangiapane can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week).
• Spoon frangipane into cooled tart shell and smooth with a spatula.
• Let stand for 2 minutes.
• Bake until set, about 15 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Prepare an ice-water bath.
• Bring a pan of water to a boil.
• Lightly score bottoms of apricots.
• Add apricots to boiling water and blanch, loosening skin, about 1 minute.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking about 1 minute.
• Remove apricot, and gently peel.
• Cut in half, and remove pits.
• Just before serving, beat cream with confectioners sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form, whisk in creeme fraiche.
• Spread over frangipane.
• Arrange 7 apricot halves, cut side down, around edge.
• Cut remaining apricot half into thirds and arrange in center.
• Melt jam in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Stir in lemon juice, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Pour through a sieve; discard solids.
• Brush strained jam over apricots, and spoon remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts around apricots.
• Serve immediately.