Almond, Apricot, and Cream Cheese Crostata

So the grand finale to the summer feast was just that.  GRAND!  Almond, apricot, and cream cheese crostata tastes just like summer.  It is heavenly.  It is beautiful.  It is…..just delicious!

I just love the color of these apricots!

I found this recipe in the recent acquisition, bon appetit fast easy fresh, by Barbara Fairchild.  This cookbook is monstrous!  It has so many delicious sounding recipes.  I can’t wait to try them all.  The cookbook focuses on fresh simple ingredients that can be easily put together for a weeknight meal or a great weekend dessert.  The ingredient lists for the recipes range from two ingredients to maybe six or seven.  There are 703 pages in the cookbook and at least 2 recipes per page!  That adds up to a lot of tasty dishes!



This crostata couldn’t be easier.  We bought the sweetest, ripest apricots and they complimented the the almond filling fantastically.  Any fruit would be great in this as well.  You could use peaches, plums, cherries and nectarines.  I plan on making it with peaches next.  I still have one pie crust left and half a loaf of almond paste. Please give this a try!

Total carb count: 31.1 grams.



Almond, apricot, and cream cheese crostata

1/2  8 ounce log almond paste
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of a 15-ounce package), room temperature
5 to 6 large apricots, quartered and pitted
1/4 cup apricot jam, heated
3 crushed amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons)

1  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Blend the almond paste and 3 tablespoons sugar in a processor until they are chopped.



3.  Add cream cheese, yolk, and vanilla; blend until filling is smooth.




4.  Unroll crust in heavy baking sheet.



5.  Spread filling over crust, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border free around the edge.



6.  Arrange apricot quarters, rounded side down, in a spoke pattern in 2 concentric circles atop filling.



7.  Fold dough border up over edge of filling.



8.  Brush exposed apricots with warm jam.



9.  Sprinkle apricots with remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar.

10.  Bake crostata until crust is golden brown and apricots are tender and slightly browned, about 43 minutes.  Sprinkle with crushed amaretti cookies.  Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.