Forget supermarket versions - home-made is the way to go with this popular tart. I've included fresh raspberries here for a sharp contrast to the sweetness of the frangipane. A teatime treat, it's also lovely as a dessert with cream. I usually make it in an oblong tin to slice into fingers, but it works well in a 23cm round tin too.
Makes 8-10 slices Bake 45 minutes
Ingredients
PASTRY
200g plain flour
2 tbsp icing sugar
100g cold unsalted butter, diced
1 medium egg
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 tsp ice-cold water
FRANGIPANE FILLING
100g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
2 large eggs
50g plain flour
75g ground almonds
A drop of almond extract (optional)
100g raspberry jam
100g raspberries
20g flaked almonds
TO FINISH
Icing sugar, for dusting
EQUIPMENT
A 36 x 12cm rectangular tart tin (or 23cm round tart tin)
Method
1.To make the pastry, mix the flour and icing sugar together in a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in lightly with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the egg with the lemon juice and 2 tsp water. Stir into the mixture with a round-bladed knife, adding another 1 tsp water if necessary. (Alternatively you can make it in a food processor, blitzing the flour, icing sugar and butter together, then adding the liquid.)
2. As the dough comes together, gently knead it into a smooth ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 15 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness and use to line a 36 x 12cm loose-bottomed tart tin (or a 23cm round tin), leaving a little excess overhanging the edge.
4. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or dried beans. Bake blind for 12-15 minutes, until the pastry is dry to the touch. Remove the paper and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for about 5 minutes until very lightly coloured. Trim away excess pastry from the edge. Turn the oven down to 180°C/Gas 4.
5. For the frangipane filling, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the flour, ground almonds and the almond extract, if using.
6. Spread the jam over the base of the pastry case and scatter over the raspberries. Top with the frangipane and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes, then scatter the flaked almonds on top and cook for a further 15 minutes until the filling is golden. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Taken from Paul Hollywood’s British Baking, published by Bloomsbury
Photograph © Peter Cassidy