You can make this bar recipe in a 11 X 17 small cookie sheet but it bakes up wonderfully in tart pans. I prefer to have a little edge crust on every piece.
I used one 11 " and one 8 " tart pan.
Though I've posted this recipe as apple bar. . .and rhubarb bar. . .
I've never posted it as apricot bar. . .
which bakes into a beautiful gem colored tart.
Pastry
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 egg yolks
- milk to make 2/3 cup
Filling
- 5 cups sliced apricots
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup minute tapioca
- 2 tablespoons butter
Topping
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup icing sugar
- several tablespoons water to make thin glaze
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. . .cut in the butter and shortening until the crumbs are the size of oatmeal. You can use your food processor for this too. .pulse. . don't run at full speed.
- Put the egg yolks in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 2/3 cup.
- Slowly add to the flour mixture .. .pulse with the food processor until it begins to come together or mix in with your fork.
- Dump it all onto the counter and knead it into a ball .. .just until it comes together.
- Wrap in a plastic wrap. . shaping it into a flat rectangular disk.
- Refrigerate.
- Slice apricots. . .and mix in sugar and tapioca.
- Divide the pastry dough into two parts. . . the larger tart pan will require about 2/3 of the total. Do this pan first and use the remainder to add to the smaller tart pan.
- Divide each part in half and roll out very thinly using flour to keep from sticking on the counter. Use a bench scraper to slide under the pastry dough to keep from tearing.
- Carefully transfer into the tart pan by rolling the pastry around the rolling pin.
- Divide the filling between the two tart pans.
- Dot with butter.
- Cover with remaining pastry. . .and crimp the edges shut.
- Beat the egg whites until very soft peaks form and with your hand. . .spread it over the crust.
- Bake in a 400 F oven for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. The smaller one will be done sooner.