Brioche Tart with Apricots and Almond Cream Recipe

Prepare the brioche dough. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar taken from the total amount and mix. Let the yeast activate for 15 minutes. Then, add the remaining sugar, the eggs, and the salt, and mix with a spoon. Add the flour and mix first with a spoon, then by hand to incorporate it. Finally, add the softened butter in 3 parts, mixing well by hand after each addition to incorporate it. Continue to knead the dough for 15-20 minutes until it becomes elastic and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If you have a kneading machine, feel free to use it; it will make the task easier. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1.5-2 hours at room temperature, or until it doubles in volume.

Transfer the dough onto a silicone mat or a floured sheet of parchment paper. Form a ball. Roll it out to obtain a circle of about 33-35 cm in diameter.

Using a pastry cutter, make cuts all around, slightly slanted, to create strips about 4 cm deep and 1-1.5 cm wide. Braid the strips. Fold a strip of dough to the right at a 45° angle. Then, fold the third strip over it in the opposite direction (skipping one strip each time). Take the "forgotten" strip, the second one, and fold it over to the right. Skip another one and fold the fourth strip over in the opposite direction. Continue in this manner all around. Finally, press lightly on the dough ends inward to make them stick and stretch the dough a bit to give it a uniform shape.

Slide the pastry with the tart onto a baking sheet. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the almond cream. In a bowl, mix the softened butter and sugar with a small spoon. Add the egg and mix again to incorporate it. Then do the same with the almond flour to achieve a smooth texture.

Prepare the apricots. Cut them in half to remove the pits, then cut into wedges.

Preheat the oven to 180°C, static heat.

Place the almond cream in the center of the tart and spread it evenly. Arrange the apricot wedges on top in a circular pattern, cut side facing up. Press the outer fruits firmly against the edges of the tart to prevent the braid from coming apart during baking.

Prepare the egg wash. In a cup, mix the egg yolk with the milk and brush the edge of the tart with this mixture.