Fresh Peach And Almond Tart

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup finely ground almonds
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) Challenge Butter, cut into chunks
• 1 large egg

Filling:

• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, slightly softened
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3½ cups peeled, pitted and sliced fresh peaches (about 4 large peaches)
• 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice diluted in 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup peach or apricot jam
• ½ cup sliced almonds

Directions

To prepare crust:In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and ground almonds. Mix butter into dry ingredients with a fork until well blended, but crumbly. Add egg and mix until dough sticks together. (Or, combine ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are combined.) Press into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate for several days if not used immediately. Bring to room temperature before using.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Press dough evenly into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, making sure the edges are level with the rim. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan. (For smaller pans, adjust the amount of dough used so that just a thin crust covers the bottom and edges).

To prepare filling: Blend cream cheese, honey and extracts until smooth. Spread evenly over crust. Cover and refrigerate at this point if made ahead.

To peel peaches: Dip one at a time into boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove peel and pit, and cut into ½-inch thick slices; place in diluted lemon juice, then drain well.

Arrange peach slices in a circular pattern, slightly overlapping edges over cream cheese filling. Heat jam until slightly warm and gently brush over peach slices. Garnish with sliced almonds and chill at least 1 hour to set glaze. When ready to serve, remove tart pan rim and cut into wedges.

Yield: 10-12 servings

Source: California Milk Advisory Board winning recipes.