Serves: 10
Total Calories: 610

Pastry:
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups flour
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup almond paste or marzipan, firmly packed
2 to 3 tablespoons half and half
* See note below.
1 cup almonds toasted
4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* See note below.
* Part two.
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
6 eggs yolk
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Part two.
1 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup water
* Part two.
Variety of fresh fruits, about 2 cups (seeded

* Using pastry blender, blend butter or margarine and flour until consistency of oats. In small bowl, blend almond paste or marzipan, egg yolk, and half-and-half add to flour mixture and work with fingers just enough to hold together. Gather into a ball and refrigerate, covered, 1 hour. Heat oven to 350° F. Press dough into tart molds 1 1/2 inches wide and 1/2 -inch deep. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Let cool remove from molds. Almond Chocolate: * Place toasted nuts in blender or food processor and process until finely chopped. Melt chocolate over hot water. Add nuts and vanilla, mixing well. Set aside. Pastry Cream:
*Place 1 1/2 cups milk and sugar in saucepan bring to boil, stirring. Beat remaining 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, and cornstarch together. Add 1/3 hot mixture to beaten yolk mixture, while beating with whisk. Return to saucepan and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly until thick and creamy. Remove and cool to room temperature. Add vanilla. Cover with wax paper to prevent film from forming on top. Refrigerate until ready to fill pastry shells.

Apricot Glaze:
*Place preserves and water in saucepan mix well and bring to boil, stirring. Remove from heat and cool. Purée in blender or food processor or press through a sieve. When room temperature, glaze should coat spoon and form a sheet, like jelly, when dropped from a spoon.

To Assemble Tarts:
*In bottom of each pastry shell put 1/4 teaspoon almond chocolate, then top with 1/2 teaspoon pastry cream, spreading to edges of pastry. Put fruit of choice on top of each tart and lightly spoon on apricot glace to cover fruit.

Note: Pastries, almond chocolate, pastry cream, and apricot glaze can all be made a day ahead. Assemble tarts not more than 2 hours before srving.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 10
Total Calories: 610
Calories from Fat: 288

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