Apricot & frangipane cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a 20 cm shallow tart tin with baking parchment.
2. Scatter 25 g of the sugar on a side plate. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When hot, dip the cut side of each apricot into the sugar, then place them sugar side down in the pan. Tip in the remaining sugar from the plate. Caramelise the apricots for a few minutes, without stirring, until they become medium brown in colour on the cut side. Add 3 tablespoons of cold water to the pan and shake to combine the water with the sugar. Tip the contents of the pan gently into the lined tart tin, allowing the apricots and caramel to slide in sugar side down. Set aside.
3. Cream the remaining sugar and the butter together in a large bowl with an electric whisk or in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and blend together with the whisk. Spoon the batter onto the apricots and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the oven for around 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven with oven gloves and put a plate over the top of the tin. Flip the cake over and peel off the baking parchment. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or Saffron Custard.