Apricot Tart With Whiskey-Pecan Frangipane

Frangipane tarts are my go-to entertaining dessert all year long. They’re fancy enough that no one suspects I spent all my time on dinner and forgot about the sweet stuff (often the case), but simple enough that I don’t break a sweat getting one into the oven at the very last minute.

The ease of a frangipane tart lies in its components. In this recipe, both the tender shortbread press-in crust and nutty custard are made in the food processor, so assembly and cleanup are streamlined to just one appliance (plus you can make both pieces in advance if you’d like). And while you should absolutely use apricots during their brief but juicy season, most fruit, like berries, cherries, rhubarb, apples, pears, and even bananas, can get the frangipane treatment. Don’t fret too much about finding one that works well with whiskey—the booze adds just a hint of flavor. When served with vanilla ice cream, this tart tastes like the sun setting at 9:30 p.m. —Kendra Vaculin