Tea Cake Recipes - Almond Rum Tarts Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups/200 g all purpose/plain flour

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 6 tbsp butter, cut up

• 1/3 cup/50 g finely ground hazelnuts

• 1/3 cup/70 g granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar

• 2-3 tbsp water

Almond Run Filling:

• 3 tbsp butter, softened

• 1/4 cup/50 g firmly packed light brown sugar

• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

• 1/4 tsp almond extract/essence

• 1/3 cup/50 g all purpose/plain four

• 2/3 cup/100g finely ground almonds

• 3 tbsp milk

• 1 tbsp rum

• 1/4 cup/90 g apricot preserves or jam

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Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut into the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2. Mix in the hazelnuts and granulated and vanilla sugars. Mix in enough water to form a soft, but not sticky, dough.

3. Press the dough into a dish, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas 5. Set out two 12-cup mini muffin pan.

4. Almond Rum Filling: Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Add the whole egg and almond extract, beating until just blended.

5. Mix in the flour, almonds, 2 tablespoons milk, and rum Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch (3mm).

6. Use a 2 1/2-inch (6-cm) fluted cookie cutter to cut out twenty-four rounds. Press the dough circles into the prepared cups.

7. Gather the dough scraps and re-roll. Use a 1-inch (2.5-cm) star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out twenty-four small stars.

8. Drop 1/2 teaspoon of the apricot preserves into each pastry base and spoon in the filling. Beat the remaining egg yolk with the remaining milk and brush over the stars.

9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is pale golden and filling has set. Cool completely before removing from the pans.