Summer Peach Tart (Gluten-Free)

Inspired by Food Network's Summer Fest focus on peaches and Gluten-Free Girl's pie party, I created this recipe for a peach tart.  Growing up in Cincinnati, I had many traditional German/French fresh fruit tarts made by old-school pastry shops that are institutions here.  I miss those, being gluten-free now.  Therefore, I knew the only solution is to make it myself.  The crust is a short dough using Pamela's Baking and Pancake mix, which is one of my favorite "cheats" to bake with.  (When I say "cheat" I am referring to using a ready-made GF flour mix; I use this one for pies, cakes, cookies, and pancakes as a 1-for-1 substitution in any recipe.  Usually I rebuild a recipe completely gluten-free, usually individual GF flours.  But sometimes I want easier & quick.  Hence, Pamela's Baking Mix.)  It has brown rice flour, almond meal, powdered buttermilk, amongst other goodies.  The filling is a brightened, sweetened low fat cream cheese with lemon zest.  Only one perfectly ripe peach was needed for this tart.  Apple jelly is used as a glaze to keep the peaches fresh and pretty.  I found a couple of lavender flowers in my herb garden that I dipped in the apple glaze and added as a garnish.

Ingredients:

short dough pie crust:

113 grams butter, softened
pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
68 grams sugar
1 egg yolk, from large egg, room temperature
270 grams Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

filling and topping:

226 grams | 8 oz Low Fat Cream Cheese, room temperature
zest from 1 lemon
100 grams confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
dash of mace
1 ripe peach
apple jelly
lavender flowers (optional)

Directions:

short dough pie crust:

Using a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, mix the butter, sugar, and salt as low speed until smooth.  Add the egg yolk and mix until just absorbed.  Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until evenly blended.

Roll out between two sheets of parchment or wax paper very thin, about 1/4 inch.  Chill on a cookie sheet in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, until it firms up enough to work with it, but not hard and rigid.  Remove dough from fridge, remove top sheet, and carefully turn over into a tart pan or pie pan.  Working from the center, work the dough to the bottom of the pan while removing the other layer of paper, and make sure dough is fitted into the corners well.  Using a butter knife, remove the excess dough at the edges of the pan.  Dock (poke with fork) the dough and bake in a 350F preheated over for about 20 minutes, until browned.  Remove and allow to cool.

filling, topping, and assembly:
In a medium bowl, add in the softened cream cheese and the lemon zest.  Mix with a silicone spatula, followed by adding in the sugar, salt, mace and vanilla.  Mace has become one of my favorite spices.  It is the outside covering of nutmeg.  It has the spice of nutmeg, but much lighter.  Mix well until homogeneous.  Turn into cooled the short/pie crust and smooth until an even layer.

Slice a peach into very thin segments.  Arrange artfully (use your creativity here) on top of the tart filling.  Heat about 1 cup of apple jelly until runny and smooth.  Remove from heat.  Using a brush, gently brush on apple jelly evenly on the peaches and filling.  If you are fortunate enough to have lavender flower, dip into melted apple jelly and place on tart.  Chill tart for at least 1 hour before serving.  Store in fridge covered.  Enjoy!

Please visit Food Network's Summer Fest Peach Blog Wrap-Up to see what other delicious peach recipes other incredible bloggers have created.  And go to Twitter and join in the conversation #cookingwith

More peach recipes from family and friends:
CIA Dropout: Peachy Keen Panna Cotta
What’s Gaby Cooking: Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Easy Peach Preserves
I Am Mommy: Peach Bread
Daily Dishin: Fresh Peaches and Cream No-Bake Pie
Cooking with Books: Peaches and Cream Cheesecake
Cooking With My Kid: Peach & Friends Cobbler Pie
White on Rice Couple: Peach Heirloom Tomato Salad
Cooking With Elise: Bruschetta with Grilled Peach Chutney
Taste With The Eyes: Warm White Peach and Blackberry Cobbler
Recipe Girl: Fresh Peach Pie
A Way to Garden: Farm Fresh Peaches Frozen to Perfection
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Fresh Peach Cookies
Sassy Radish: Peach, Apricot and Blueberry Cobbler with a Cornmeal Crust
Sweet Life: Sweet Peach Ancho Chile Salsa
Indian Simmer: Indian Peach Gujiya
Dixie Chik Cooks: Peach Cobbler
Food2: 5 Killer Peach Flavored Cocktails
Healthy Eats: 8 Ways You Didn’t Know You Could Eat Peaches
Cooking Channel: Peaches on the Grill
Add a Pinch: My Grandmother’s Peach Cobbler
And Love It Too: Pan Seared Salmon with Fresh Peach Salsa
From My Corner of Saratoga: Double Caramel Peaches
She Wears Many Hats: Peach Wontons
Pinch My Salt: Creamy Peach Smoothie



-Erin Swing
The Sensitive Epicure