Fresh Apricot Breakfast Pastries by Cathy Barrow

This elegant pastry is usually found in the most swish of Parisian patisseries, yet it’s dead simple to make once you’ve mastered quick puff and pastry cream.

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MAKES 12

I am weak as a kitten around ripe apricots; I’ll eat them until my stomach hurts. I had my first ever as a 24-year-old traveling in Italy and forevermore looked for that tart, sweet, glorious sunny flavor. This elegant pastry is usually found in the most swish of Parisian patisseries, yet it’s dead simple to make once you’ve mastered quick puff and pastry cream, two skills that are always good to have in your arsenal. Cut the fruit at the very last minute and toss with the lemon juice right away so it will not oxidize and discolor. Pay close attention to the quality of the fruit and make sure they are the same size with no bruises—and these pastries will look very fancy indeed. Apricot is the classic flavor, but apricots can be difficult to find on the East Coast, so I often substitute white peaches, which hold a similar, though more floral, allure. You could also substitute blueberries, raspberries, halved pitted cherries or plums, or any combination of summer fruit.