Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes (40 active)
Servings: 12
8 1/2 ounces (about 2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) finely chopped apricots, preferably California apricots
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons apricot jam
3 ounces very thinly sliced almond paste
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Into a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the apricots and lemon zest; stir well. Pour in the heavy cream and stir just until combined. Dump the dough on the kitchen counter and knead it a few times or just until it comes together. Divide the dough into two parts and roll out one-half on a lightly floured surface into a 9-inch round. Transfer the round to an ungreased 9-inch round pan and gently press it to fit evenly. Brush the top of the rolled-out dough in the pan all over with about 1/2 of the jam and arrange all of the almond paste slices in one layer on top.
Roll out the second piece of dough into a 9-inch round and transfer the round to the pan, placing it on top of the almond paste. Press gently to fit it in the pan and make sure the cake is even in thickness.
Bake the cake on the middle shelf of the oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted in the middle, comes out clean. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the remaining jam. When the cake comes out of the oven run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it and let it stand for 5 minutes. Invert the cake onto a large plate, re-invert it on to a rack and brush the top with the warm apricot jam. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 229 calories; 100 calories from fat; 11 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 34 mg cholesterol; 200 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 3 g protein.
Sara Moulton, Associated Press
