Cookbook

Created by Jacques Maximin, chef at the Table d'Amis restaurant in Vence, France, for 4 people.

Preparation time: 40 minutes

● ½ pounds / 200 grams pie dough
● ½ cup / 100 gamrs white rice
● 8 dried apricots
● ¼ cup / 50 grams butter
● 17 ounces / 50 centiliters milk
● 3 eggs
● 1 vanilla bean

Preparation

Coat four small tart molds (approximately 10 cm or 4 inches in diameter) with butter. Roll out the pie dough and line the molds. Prick the dough with a fork. Place the molds in an oven preheated to 170 °C/ 325 °F. When cooked, take the pastry shells out of their molds and set aside. Melt the butter in a pan and add the dried apricots and rice. Stir with a wooden spatula, adding enough hot milk to just cover the mixture. Cook over a low flame with continual stirring, gradually adding the rest of the milk. Keep cooking and stirring until the rice has absorbed the milk. This will take about 17 minutes, depending on the quality of the rice. Empty the rice into a bowl, cut open the vanilla bean, and with the tip of a knife scrape the inside of the bean into the rice. Mix together. Separate the egg white from the yolks. Add the yolks and sugar to the rice and allow the mixture to cool. Whip the whites until stiff peaks form, then gently incorporate them into the cooled rice mixture. Fill each tart with the mixture and smooth the top with a stainless-steel spatula. Place the tarts into an oven preheated to 180 °C/350 °F for 20 minutes.

Prepare the soufflé tarts for presentation. They may be accompanied by a fresh apricot coulis or syrup or heavy cream. Serve hot, warm or cold.