Brown Sugar Pecan Peach Tart

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 225 g all-purpose flour, 25 g granulated sugar, and 2 g fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Scatter the 140 g cold butter cubes over the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the largest pieces are about the size of small peas and the mixture holds together when squeezed.

Drizzle 60 ml ice water over the mixture and stir gently with a fork just until the dough looks shaggy and begins to clump. Add more ice water 5 ml at a time only if dry flour still shows at the bottom of the bowl.

Press the dough together into a 2 cm thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm but still pliable.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 30 cm round about 3 mm thick. Lift it gently over the rolling pin and transfer to a 23 cm tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan and trim the edges flush with the rim. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill the shaped shell for 20 minutes.

Line the chilled shell with a parchment round and fill with pie weights or dried beans, pressing them into the corners and up the sides.

Bake the weighted shell at 190°C (375°F) for 18 minutes. Carefully lift out the parchment and weights, return the crust to the oven, and bake 5 to 7 minutes longer until the base looks dry, pale gold, and just set. Transfer to a cooling rack and reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F).

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 60 g unsalted butter with 150 g light brown sugar and 1 g fine sea salt, whisking until smooth and glossy, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes until just warm, not hot.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 room-temperature eggs, 30 ml heavy cream, 15 g cornstarch, and 5 ml vanilla extract until completely smooth with no streaks of egg white.

Slowly drizzle the warm brown sugar mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to the consistency of warm honey and leaves a brief ribbon when the whisk is lifted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let it simmer.

Scatter 60 g of the chopped toasted pecans evenly across the base of the blind-baked shell. Pour the warm brown sugar filling over the pecans and spread gently to the edges with the back of a spoon. Arrange 40 g whole toasted pecan halves in a decorative ring around the outer edge, points facing inward.

Arrange the 500 g peeled and sliced peaches over the filling in tight, overlapping concentric circles, starting from the outer rim and working inward. Lightly dust the surface with the 1 g ground cinnamon if using.

Bake the tart at 175°C (350°F) for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is puffed at the edges, set around the perimeter, and the center only jiggles slightly when the pan is gently shaken. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center (avoiding peach slices) should read 71°C (160°F) for a safe, fully set custard.

While the tart bakes, combine 30 g apricot preserves and 15 ml water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted, smooth, and warm, about 2 minutes.

Place the baked tart on a cooling rack and, while still very warm, brush the glaze over the peaches and pecans with a pastry brush until they glisten. Let the tart cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before releasing the ring and slicing.