Almond Slice Recipes

ALMOND SLICE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, rub the butter and flour with your fingers. Once it resembles bread crumbs, add the sugar and mix until combined.
• Gradually add the cold water a spoonful at a time, continuing to mix with your hands, bringing together to form a dough. You may not need all the water, or you may need a little extra - this can even vary from batch-to-batch.
• Continue to mix the dough in your hands until well formed. Turn out onto work surface, lightly dusted with flour. Gently knead until your dough is smooth.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and pop in the fridge for at least and hour to firm-up before use.
• Pre-heat your oven to 190°c (or 170°c for a fan assisted oven or Gas Mark 5) and grease a 11x7 inch baking tin generously with some margarine/butter. Set aside.
• Remove your pre-made pastry from the fridge and roll on a floured surface to around 5mm thick. Transfer to your pre-greased tin, pushing the pastry into the edges. Trim the excess and line the pastry with some greaseproof paper before filling with baking beans. Blind bake the pastry for 10 minutes to give the bottom a head start and avoid a soggy pastry.
• Following the blind bake - and once cool enough to do so - remove the baking beans and top the pastry with the Raspberry Jam, evenly spreading over the pastry.
• In a large bowl, cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the ground almonds and self-raising flour, mixing together before adding the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix to make a smooth batter.
• Spoon the batter on top of your jam-topped pastry and spread. evenly, ensuring to get right to the edges and corners. Top with a generous handful of flaked almonds.
• Bake in your pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and spongy in appearance.
• Once completely cool, using a sharp knife, cut into individual slices.

SIMPLE ALMOND SLICE RECIPE

Steps:

• First you need to mix the flour and the cold butter together for the pastry. If you have a mixer you can use that to mix the flour and butter. If not, put the flour in a bowl and then cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, two butter knives, or rub with fingertips to create a breadcrumb-like texture.
• Add the caster sugar and stir through.
• Next, slowly add the tablespoons of water and stir it with a butterknife to bring it together. How much water you need depends on the flour so we suggest starting with 2-3 tablespoons and then adding more as needed.
• Tip out the pastry onto a floured surface and gently bring together the pastry with your hands. Try not to knead it and handle it as little as possible. Then cover with cling film and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. It can last up to 2 days if you want to make it in advance.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180C or 350F.
• Lightly grease the tin with butter, taking care not to add too much. You want to grease rather than using baking paper to line it. The pastry has enough butter not to stick but you want to ensure the sides of the sponge don't stick.
• Take the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface until it is about 0.5cm (1/4 of an inch) thick. You want the shape to roughly fit your tin. Carefully lift the pastry and press into the bottom of the tin, cutting any excess so it's only covering the bottom and not stretching up the slides.
• Prick the pastry with a fork, place baking paper over it and blind baking beans, or uncooked rice if you don't have any.
• Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
• Meanwhile, loosen up the jam by stirring it in a bowl so it'll be easy to spread onto the pastry. We used approximately 200g or 8 tablespoons but you may want a little more or less. Be generous! The jam layer really adds to the flavour.
• Remove the pastry from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then add the jam layer. Set aside.
• Cream the butter and the sugar for the sponge in a large bowl.
• Add the essence if using, and beat in the eggs.
• Add the flour, baking powder, and ground almond and gently mix together.
• Pour or spoon over the jam-covered pastry, trying not to disturb your jam layer too much.
• Top with a handful of flaked almonds (not toasted) and then put in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Keep checking it and once the sponge layer has risen and cooked through it's ready!
• Take out an allow to cool, before removing from the tin to slice it, or slice in the tin and remove individual pieces if you find the easier.

RASPBERRY BAKEWELL SLICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the base and sides of a buttered traybake tin, about 18-20cm x 30cm, with baking parchment. Roll out the pastry to line. Lift into the tin and evenly press right into the corners. Prick with a fork and chill for 20 mins.
• Bake the pastry for 8-10 mins until it's cooked but not too coloured. Cool for a few mins and turn down the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dot the raspberry jam over the pastry (there's no need to spread) and scatter over the raspberries.
• For the sponge, put all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft and very well mixed. Spoon this over the raspberry layer, then smooth evenly. Scatter over the flaked almonds and bake for 35-40 mins until golden and firm. Cool completely in the tin. Will freeze for up to 3 months - overwrap the tin with baking parchment and foil beforehand.
• To serve, thaw for 4 hrs at room temperature, then reheat in a low oven. Melt the apricot jam with 1 tbsp water and brush over the top of the sponge just before serving.

PLUM & ALMOND CRUMBLE SLICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking paper. Put the butter, sugar and ground almonds into a food processor, then pulse until the mixture resembles very rough breadcrumbs. Spoon out half the mix into a bowl and set aside.
• Add 140g flour into the mix in the processor and whizz until it just forms a dough. Tip into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden. Leave to cool for 10 mins.
• To make the filling, put the remaining butter and the sugar and almond mix back into the processor, saving a few tbsp for the topping. Add the eggs, the 25g flour, cinnamon and baking powder and whizz to a soft batter. Spread over the base.
• Top with the plum pieces and a little extra caster sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 20 mins, then sprinkle with the remaining crumble mix and flaked almonds. Cook for another 20 mins or until golden. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing.