Sweet Almond Nuts Tart Recipe

Make the dough

In a large bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup icing sugar and 0.25 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Add 1 cup cold unsalted butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 6–8 turns).

Whisk together 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons cold water and 0.5 tsp vanilla extract. Sprinkle this over the flour-butter mixture and gently fold until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork; there will still be some visible butter pieces.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). Chilling firms the butter and prevents shrinkage during baking.

Blind-bake the crust

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to about 1/8" (3 mm) thickness to fit a 9–10" tart pan (adjust if using smaller sizes). Transfer dough to the pan, pressing into sides and trimming excess. Prick bottom lightly with a fork.

Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, then continue baking another 8–10 minutes until the crust is just set and lightly golden. Cool slightly while preparing filling.

Meanwhile, toast 0.5 cup sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden (2–3 minutes). Remove from heat and cool; reserve 2 tbsp for garnish and chop the rest if you prefer smaller pieces in the filling.

In a medium bowl, beat 0.5 cup softened unsalted butter and 0.75 cup granulated sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add 2 whole eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.

Fold in 1.5 cups almond meal, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 0.5 tsp almond extract and 0.25 tsp salt. Mix until homogeneous; do not overmix. If you toasted whole sliced almonds and reserved some, fold them in now if you want texture (optional).

Taste for sweetness; adjust with a teaspoon of sugar if desired (optional). The filling should be thick but spoonable.

Spoon the almond filling into the pre-baked tart shell and spread evenly with a spatula. Smooth the top and sprinkle the remaining toasted sliced almonds across the surface.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Bake the filled tart for 25–30 minutes or until the filling is set and lightly golden on top (a toothpick inserted into center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs). Rotate the tart halfway through for even browning.

While tart bakes, warm 2 tablespoons apricot jam with 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan over low heat until thin and glossy. Strain if desired to remove any fruit bits.

When tart is done, remove from oven and immediately brush the warm jam glaze evenly over the top to give a shiny finish and add a touch of sweetness. Let tart cool on a wire rack to room temperature (about 1–1.5 hours) so filling fully sets.

Once cooled, dust lightly with 1 teaspoon powdered sugar if desired. Slice and serve at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.