Apple Tart with Almond Cream

I recently had a weekend of back-to-back dinner parties with friends. As everyone knows my favorite meal of the day is dessert, it was no question as to what I would bring. I had a few apples on hand and, after a bit of recipe searching, this tart was born.
Both a blessing and a curse, I have high standards with myself when it comes to dinner parties. I just can't seem to bake something simple or something that doesn't involve spending 4 continuous hours in the kitchen. I tend to go out of my way to make something complex or decadent, like the pumpkin bread pudding I brought for Thanksgiving. I can't help myself. The wanna-be pastry chef in me aims to impress.
This apple tart with almond cream is a traditional French tart, also known as a Normandy Apple Tart or, as the French would say, Tarte aux Pommes à la Normande. The almond cream is rich and dominant. The apricot glaze keeps the almond flavor in check and provides a good flavor contrast. And the apples? Well, they are there to look pretty. The flavor of the apples are present, don't get me wrong, but they are subdued in light of the almond and apricot. This tart is really something to experience, with the multiple flavors and textures mixing and mingling in your mouth.

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