A frangipane tart, which means basically it has almonds in it, is probably in my top 10 favourite bakes to eat (OK, the top one), especially with a bit of custard or a cheeky splash of double cream. You must be getting used to this by now but I like to step up the flavour combination just a tad. Cherry jam, chocolate almonds…yup that’s the one.
For the pastry:
260g plain flour
130g unsalted butter
Zest of 2 oranges
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp. icing sugar
2tbsp cold water
100g Cherry jam
Frangipane filling:
150g unsalted butter
150g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
210g ground almonds
110g plain flour
½ tsp almond extract
Whipped Ganache topping:
150 Dark Chocolate
150 Milk Chocolate
300ml Double Cream
Topping:
Icing sugar
Flaked almonds
Method:
Tip the flour butter orange zest into a food processor and pulse until it forms fine breadcrumbs.
While the motor is running add the egg yolk, icing sugar and water until it starts to clump together.
Tip on to a lightly floured surface and give the pastry a quick knead to bring it together then wrap into baking parchment or Clingfilm leave to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll x line x bake
Pre-heat oven to gas mark 5 /170c / 150 f
On a lightly floured surface. Divide you pastry into two batches, roll the pastry to a thickness of an old £1 coin .
Line two 15 cm tart tins with the pastry . Blind bake with Clingfilm and uncooked rice
“Baking beans are way too expensive, saving p’s is key”
Bake for 8 minutes then remove the Clingfilm and rice bake for a further 17 minutes. Once baked allow the tarts to cool for 10 minutes.
Make the filling:
In a food processor tip the butter and golden caster sugar into the food process and whizz until creamy. Add each egg one at a time s, then give it a quick whizz between each interval.
Finally tip in your plain flour, ground almonds and almond extract, then continue to whizz until it forms a smooth paste. Pop in a bowl and place to the side.
Drop oven temp to gas mark 4 /180c / 160
Once tart have cooled spread the cherry jam at the bases of tarts then top of with the frangipane bake for a further 30 minutes. Poke a skewer in the middle of the tart and if it comes out clean, you’re on the money.
Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Next trim the edges of the pastry. Then allow to cool further.
Topping:
Heat the double cream in saucepan on a low heat when it starts to bubble aound the edges slowly pour over the chopped chocolate and allow to sit for a couple minutes. Then begin to stir the from the middle outwards. Now allow to chill in the fridge cool. Every 5-10 minutes or so give it a quick stir. It ready when it thick enough to pipe.
Take your tarts out of the tins and place on the cooling rack pipe kisses of ganache using any nozzle you want, finish of each ganache kiss with a fresh cherry, dust of icing sugar, some flaked almonds.