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What's Cookin': Lori is blind baking Today's recipe for apricot tart can be made with peaches, plums or pears as Lori Gysel & Gerry well. Just make sure you switch to the appropriate Kentner kind of jam for the fruit you are using. The jam should work with the fruit, not overwhelm it. This is one of our favourite harvest-time desserts-- oh who am I kidding, it's one of our favourite anytime desserts! It is key though that the fruit is ripe, as it will soften somewhat during baking, but it will not ripen, so if you're going to go to the trouble of making the crust and preparing the fruit, you want to make sure it's going to taste great when it comes out! This dessert also works really well when baked in a rectangular flan pan so that you can cut it in small squares-- lovely for a tea party! The last time I put a recipe in the paper that called for blind baking, we had lots of calls and emails asking what that meant. Fair enough! But before you ask this time, here is the story. Blind baking means to bake a pastry crust without the filling. Make sure the pan is well sprayed with non-stick spray, then lay pastry in. Ensure that pastry is well inserted into the corners before you trim it off. Then prick it several times with a fork. This is called docking to make sure that the steam has a place to escape. Now add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom of the shell, then add a couple of cups of dried beans. (The beans are going to help hold the pastry in place since there is no filling yet). Next, you should refrigerate or freeze the raw pastry in the pan for a few minutes until it is quite stiff. Then bake at the required temperature until lightly golden. Remove from oven, remove beans and parchment. Have fun and keep cooking! Email your questions and comments to Lori and Gerry at whatscookin@independentfreepress.com Upcoming community dinners $5 Friday Dinners resume Sept. 17, 6-7 p.m. at Georgetown Legion, 127 Mill St. includes dinner and coffee/tea. Desserts $1 extra. Dinners continue every Friday night until June. Info: 905877-4413. *** Soup and Sandwich Luncheon and Pie Sale on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Knox Presbyterian Church, 44 Main St. N., Acton starts at 11 a.m. Come have a delicious lunch on your way to the Acton Fall Fair. Info: church office, 519-853-2360. Limehouse Silent AuctionBBQ-Corn Roast on Saturday, Sept. 18. Limehouse Memorial Hall is holding its annual event, 4-7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come out rain or shine, enjoy a hamburger and corn while bidding on some great items! *** Acton Community Brunch will be held on a special date this month: Sunday, Sept, 19. The Kinette Club of Acton hosts the allyou-can-eat brunch at the Acton Arena & Community Centre, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $6/person. 29 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, September 16, 2010 Apricot Tart with Almond Crust Serves 8 - 12 (12" tart shell) Pastry ingredients · 4 egg yolks · 1 cup ground almonds · 2/3 cup icing sugar · 1 3/4 cup cake and pastry flour · pinch salt · 2/3 cup sweet cold butter, cubed Tart filling · 12 fresh apricots · 1/2 cup good quality apricot jam · garnish with whipped cream Method 1. For pastry: place dry ingredients into a food processor, pulse to mix and add butter. Pulse to combine and add egg yolks. Pulse again until just combined. Turn out onto a cold surface and work by hand until incorporated. Wrap in plastic and let rest at least 30 minutes. Roll out pastry to 1/8-inch thickness and line a 10-inch tart pan. Let rest at least 30 minutes and then blind bake at 325 degrees F. 2. Blanch apricots in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes, then immerse in cold water. Skins will peel off easily now. Cut skinned apricots in half and remove seed. 3. Arrange apricot halves on pastry shell. Brush with honey. Return to oven at 350 F degrees for approximately 10-15 minutes until shell is completely cooked and apricots are soft. 4. Remove from oven and glaze with melted apricot jam. Serve with whipped cream.