Description
Delightful bite-sized pastries with buttery crust, rich almond filling, and sweet cherry jam that evoke warmth and nostalgia.
Ingredients
- 250 g (1½ cups + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 60 g (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar
- 125 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 large eggs, yolks only
- 2-4 tbsp ice (very very cold) water
- 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 60 g (¼ cup + 1 tbsp) caster sugar
- 60 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) ground almonds
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 tsp almond extract
- Cherry jam/conserve
- 100 g (½ cup + 3 tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar
- 3-5 tsp milk
- 12 glacé cherries, halved, to top
Instructions
- Start by making the pastry. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and icing sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add egg yolks and mix. Gradually incorporate ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough binds together. Be cautious not to overwork it. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about 3mm thick. Cut out circles to fit in your tart tins and press them into place. Trim any excess pastry.
- For the frangipane filling, cream together the room-temperature butter and caster sugar. Beat in the large egg and almond extract, then fold in the ground almonds.
- Spoon the frangipane into each pastry case. Top with a teaspoon of cherry jam in the center. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
- For the icing, combine icing sugar with milk to achieve a smooth consistency. Drizzle over tarts once cooled and top with glacé cherry halves.
Notes
Chill the pastry after rolling it out for best results. Use high-quality cherry jam for optimal flavor.
