A fruit and almond tart that makes the perfect Sunday lunch pud. Use what ever fruit you have to hand, or stashed in the freezer.
Fruit and almond tart is a failsafe recipe. Make the fruit and almond tart with whatever fruit you have to hand. And frozen fruit works well too. Now is the time to unload the freezer of last season’s plums, or the season’s before, or the one before that. Combine the somewhat squishy fruit with a fudgy almond filling and dollop of cream. This fruit and almond tart recipe is simplicity itself.
But if you want something more distinctly seasonal try our Basque cake with Easter spices, or for a chocolate fix our pear brownies with hazelnuts.
FRUIT AND ALMOND TART
Serves 12
■ 450g (1lb) sweet pastry
■ 220g (73⁄4oz) ground almonds
■ 220g (73⁄4oz) caster sugar
■ 220g (73⁄4oz) butter, at
room temperature
■ 4 free-range, organic eggs
■ 2 tsp vanilla extract
■ 50g (2oz) plain flour
■ 1 tsp baking powder
■ 300g (101⁄2oz) frozen
blackberries, or other fruit
This fruit and almond tart recipe is a template, so although I have used blackberries the fruit type is interchangeable depending on what you have in the freezer (figs, apricots, redcurrants, blackcurrants, and more).
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/Gas Mark 21⁄2. Line a 30cm (12in) wide and 4cm (11⁄2in) deep loose-bottom, fluted tart tin with the sweet pastry.
In a mixer, beat the almonds, sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour and baking powder and combine. Scoop the almond mix into the pastry case then dot the frozen blackberries on top.
Bake for 60 to 80 minutes or until lightly golden (when it has lost its wobble). Remove from the oven and leave the fruit and almond tart to cool slightly.
When you are ready to serve it, take out of the tart tin and serve warm or cold with a spoonful of crème fraîche.