Chef Joanne Weir’s Wachau Apricot Frangipane Tart

Each summer the Wachau Valley turns the same shade of orange-gold as its apricots ripen on the terraces above the Danube. The fruit is prized enough to carry a protected designation of origin from the European Union, which is a formal way of saying an apricot grown anywhere else is not quite this. On the included Apricots and Sweets tour in Dürnstein you taste them at the source, and this tart is what a chef does with them afterward.

AmaWaterways has hosted Chef Joanne Weir of PBS’s Plates & Places aboard AmaMagna, where she filmed on the Danube for the show. She built this puff-pastry tart around the Wachau apricot, and it scales easily from a sun-deck afternoon to a kitchen at home.

• 14 ounces puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator (Dufour preferred)
• 15 apricots, each cut into 6 wedges
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons apple jelly, melted and strained

For the frangipane:

• 1/3 cup almond flour or finely ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature, whisked

Roll the pastry on a floured board to roughly a 14-inch square. Cut into two 7-by-14-inch rectangles. Working with one, fold in the edges about 1/2 to 3/4 inch on all sides to about 6 by 12 inches, then press and crimp the edges well. Reserve the second piece for another use.

Set the shaped pastry on an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet and chill. This can be done several hours ahead.

Make the frangipane:

Mix the almond flour, sugar and flour. Add the butter and almond extract and work with a rubber spatula until smooth, then mix in the egg yolk until smooth. Bring to room temperature before using.

Heat the oven to 375°F. Using an offset spatula, spread the room-temperature frangipane over the cold pastry, leaving a 1/2 to 3/4-inch border.

Arrange the apricots on the frangipane, close together in a pattern, and brush with the melted butter.

Bake in the middle of the oven until the pastry is golden and puffed and the apricots are very tender, 40 to 45 minutes.

Brush with the melted apple jelly and cool on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 6.