In June, when we find plenty of lovely local apricots, we buy quite a lot and after eating the more ripe ones, we usually halve, pit and roast the rest, then freeze them to have at hand and make tarts, or top a flat bread, complementing them with spicy smoked cheese.
Make the mousse a day ahead, or even a couple of days before. When you are about to serve the dessert, assemble the pre-baked puff pastry and serve the mousse on the side.
Serves 6-8
About 15 -20 apricots, halved, pitted and roasted in the oven until soft. If they are unripe and sour, sprinkle with some sugar, if you like.
1 1/2-2 cups apricot jam, preferably homemade or good quality store-bought
The Mousse
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
6-10 rose geranium leaves or more, to taste, or use a few teaspoons store-bought rose geranium syrup, to taste
1 1/2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
Apricot Jam for serving
Coarsely chopped pistachios for serving
Make the Mousse: Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl and let stand for 2-3 minutes to soften.
In a saucepan, over moderate heat, bring the remaining milk, the rose geranium leaves and all the sugar to a boil. Simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the gelatin mixture and turn off the heat. Stir vigorously on the stove until the gelatin dissolves completely. Pour the mixture into a metal bowl, add place it over an ice-water bath to cool rapidly.
Let cool for 15-20 minutes, stirring often until cold. Remove the leaves, if you have used them, add the yogurt and whisk to incorporate. Taste, and if you had not geranium leaves, add a couple of teaspoons rose geranium syrup, to taste.
Whip the heavy cream with a hand-held mixer until it gets a good amount of body. Fold the cream into the cooled milk-yogurt mixture. It must be completely incorporated. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until it starts to set.
You can let the cream set overnight in the bowl. Take out of the refrigerator and stir the cream a few times before assembling the mousse.
The Tart: On a square or rectangular plate place a piece of the pre-baked puff pastry. Spread generously with apricot jam and place one more piece of baked puff pastry on top.
Spread generously with more apricot jam and arrange the roasted apricots on top.
Sprinkle generously with pistachios and serve with the mousse.
Assembling the mousse:
Add 1-2 tablespoons of apricot jam at the bottom of each serving glass and then divide the chilled mousse evenly among them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, preferably overnight.
Serve sprinkled with pistachios, if you like.
