Recipe: Honey-Roasted Peach Croustade with Almonds and Honey-Sweetened Greek Yogurt

the appetizer:

Bon Appétit Desserts: The Cookbook For All Things Sweet and Wonderful by Barbara Fairchild, includes recipes like Honey-Roasted Peach Croustade with Almonds and Honey-Sweetened Greek Yogurt; Winter-Spiced Molten Chocolate Cakes with Rum-Ginger Ice Cream; and Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow-Sour Cream Topping and Gingersnap Crust.

Honey-Roasted Peach Croustade
with Almonds and Honey-Sweetened Greek Yogurt

8 servings

This rustic tart is rich with flavor: The peaches are roasted prior to topping the crust, and the almonds are chopped and rolled into the surface of the dough so that they become toasted to their fragrant and colorful best while baking. Thick, honey-sweetened Greek-style yogurt is a great alternative to vanilla ice cream. Greek-style yogurt can be found at some supermarkets and at Trader Joe's and other specialty foods stores. If unavailable, use regular plain yogurt: the topping will be thinner, but just as tasty.

Peaches

1-1/2 pounds small ripe yellow peaches (about 6),
unpeeled, quartered, pitted
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

Crust

2/3 cup slivered almonds
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons honey

Honey Yogurt

1-1/2 cups plain Greek-style yogurt
3 tablespoons honey

Peaches: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line heavy large baking sheet with foil. Arrange peaches, skin side down, on foil. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with brown sugar. Roast peaches until just tender and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes using offset spatula. Turn peaches and continue roasting until fruit is very tender and honey begins to turn dark brown on edges of pan, about 12 minutes longer. Cool peaches on foil-lined sheet.

Crust: Using on/off turns, coarsely chop almonds in processor. Transfer nuts to bowl (do not wash processor). Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drop egg yolk through feed tube, using on/off turns, blend just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and freeze 60 minutes.

Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Roll out dough disk between 2 floured sheets of parchment paper to 10-inch round, sprinkling with additional flour as necessary. Remove top sheet of parchment. Sprinkle dough evenly with 1/2 cup chopped almonds. Replace parchment atop crust and roll to 11-inch round, embedding nuts into dough. Invert crust and parchment onto heavy baking sheet, nut side down. Remove top sheet of parchment. Arrange peaches over center of crust in concentric circles, alternating skin side up and skin side down and leaving 1-1/2 to 2-inch plain border. Using parchment as aid, fold outer edge of crust over edges of peaches. Drizzle peaches with honey. Sprinkle with remaining chopped almonds.

Bake until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Slide metal spatula under croustade to loosen from parchment. Using tart pan bottom from 11-inch-diameter tart pan as aid, carefully transfer croustade to platter.

Honey Yogurt: Mix yogurt and honey in small bowl to blend.

Cut croustade into wedges and serve warm, passing honey yogurt separately.