Peach and apricot tart with raspberry ripple ice cream

Preparation method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/250F/Gas 4.

2. For the pastry, blend the cold butter, flour, corn flour, semolina, sugar and salt in a food processor for 10-15 seconds, or until you have a breadcrumb consistency.

3. Transfer this to a clean bowl and add a few drops of iced water. Mix quickly with your hands (using a twisting motion), adding the water drop by drop until the mixture just binds together and forms a dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

4. Once chilled roll out the pastry and line four individual 4cm/1½in tart tins.

5. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork to stop it rising during cooking.

6. Place on a baking tray a bake in the oven for ten minutes.

7. For the ice cream, place the milk, cream and vanilla into a saucepan bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.

8. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until pale and thickened.

9. Pour a little of the warm milk mixture onto the eggs and whisk together. Pour in the remaining milk mixture and whisk together then return the mixture to the pan.

10. Place on a low heat and stir until thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon). Set the custard aside to cool, then chill in the fridge until cold.

11. Place into an ice cream machine and churn for 30 minutes. Once churned place in the freezer to firm up.

12. For the filling, blend the almonds and pecans to a fine crumb in a food processor.

13. Cream together the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add the ground nuts and mix thoroughly.

14. Stir in the flour, corn flour, salt and eggs. Set aside in the fridge while you make the jam.

15. For the jam, peel and dice four of the peaches and place into a saucepan with the jam sugar on a medium heat. Gently cook until the peaches have broken down and have a thick consistency. Remove from the heat, add the chopped apricots and leave to cool.

16. Halve the remaining two peaches and remove the stone.

17. Melt the butter and in a non-stick frying pan. Add the halved peaches and gently caramelize for two minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and set aside.

18. Fill the tart case with a layer of the jam, the caramelised peach in the centre and surround with the filling mixture. Don’t overfill the case as the butter in the frangipane will melt prior to the mixture setting and could spill out. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the frangipane is golden-brown and looks slightly spongy. Cool on a wire rack.

19. For the crystallised pecans, gently heat the sugar and 50ml/2fl oz water in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a gentle simmer. Add the pecans and cook for 10 minutes until the nuts have softened. Remove with a slotted spoon.

20. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the pecans and gently fry for a few minutes to coat in the butter. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool on a wire rack. Serve either chopped or whole.

21. For the raspberry sauce, place the raspberries and icing sugar into a food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Pass through a fine sieve

22. Ripple the ice cream by drizzling a line of raspberry sauce over the set ice cream, so that when you run the scoop into the ice cream the sauce swirls around.

23. To serve, remove the tart from the case and arrange on the plate with a scoop of ice cream. Garnish with chopped or whole crystallised pecans and serve the raspberry sauce either on the plate or in its own pot on the side.

1-2 hours preparation time

Over 2 hours cooking time

Serves 4