SWEET PASTRY
Cream the butter and caster sugar together. Beat until the mixture starts to go pale. Combine the egg yolks and the water and beat gradually into the butter mix. Mix the flours and the salt and sift onto the butter mix. Use a rubber spatula to fold the flour in. you are aiming for dough that is homogenous but has been worked as little as possible. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and bring together into a cylinder. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 min.
Line a 26cm flan ring and blind bake at 160°C until just set, remove the baking beans and cook until a light golden brown. Egg wash with two coats of yolk-and-water wash. Spread the tart case with a layer of apricot jam and then pipe in the frangipane. Push the 16 apricot halves in at even intervals 1cm in from the edge of the pastry case. Bake at 160°C for 15-20 min until golden and firm. Brush the tart with a little melted apricot jam to glaze. Allow to cool but do not refrigerate. Make fresh for each service.
FRANGIPANE
Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer, gradually add the egg interspersed with the flour, add the ground almonds and salt. Flavour with a few drops of good quality bitter almond extract.
APRICOT GEL
Combine the water, wine and apricot purée in a small pan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add to the pan, along with the sugar and vegetable gel. Bring to a simmer and then leave to set in the pan. Blitz to a smooth purée and pass.
CLOTTED CREAM ICE CREAM
In the Thermomix combine the milk, double cream, egg yolk, sugar and glycerine, heat at 80°c for 5 min on speed 5. Add the clotted cream and process until combined. Pass, chill overnight and then churn.
ASSEMBLY
Plate the slice of tart with the apricot gel, vanilla ice cream, and the isomalt-rolled dried apricot dice.