Come July, peaches start appearing in markets everywhere — but it’s worth the wait, because by August they’re at their absolute best. And oh boy, are they ever good. We find every excuse to put them in desserts: a peach cobbler smothered in ice cream, a peach sorbet, a Peach Melba — they deserve to be celebrated. My favorite way to eat them, though, is in a pie, or more specifically an Italian torta with almond cream. Such a treat. Here’s the recipe I turn to every year when peaches finally arrive in all their glory.
Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20–30 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour
Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS
For the shortcrust pastry
300 Gr. all-purpose flour
100 Gr. soft butter, cut into pieces
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
100 Gr. sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
For the almond cream filling
57 Gr. butter, at room temperature
57 Gr. granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
57 Gr. almond flour
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
For the topping
2 medium size peaches, cut in eights
Preparation
The pastry:
In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until light, fluffy, and no longer grainy.
Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing until incorporated, then stir in the lemon zest.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until a rough dough forms.
Bring it together with your hands until smooth and pliable. Wrap and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes while you prepare the almond cream.
The almond cream:
In a small bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well, then fold in the almond flour and all-purpose flour until smooth and soft. Stir in the almond extract, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
Assembly: Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
Roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface, large enough to line the base and sides of a 20 cm (non-stick) tart mold.
Press it gently into place. Spoon in the almond cream, spreading it evenly across the base.
Arrange the peach slices over the cream, cut-side down.
Roll out the remaining pastry and lay it over the top, pressing and pinching the edges to seal.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the kitchen fills with the scent of lemon, vanilla, and almond. Let the tart cool completely before unmoulding — the patience is well rewarded.
Serve at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar if you like. It keeps beautifully for two to three days, though in my experience, it rarely lasts that long.
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