Squashed Peach Almond Tarts Recipes

PEACH AND ALMOND TART RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190c/375f. Place the peaches cut side-down in a large oven-proof dish. Mix the caster sugar, boiling water, cut vanilla pod and amaretto in a jug until the sugar has dissolved, then pour the mixture over the peaches. Cover the dish with tinfoil and cook in the oven for 20 minutes (5 minutes longer if your peaches are really hard). Take out the oven, remove the foil and leave to cool in the dish.
• For the frangipane, place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat it together with a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes - until it goes paler. Stir in the eggs until mixed, then stir in the ground almonds. Place in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
• Once the peaches have cooled, turn the oven down to 160c/320f. Line a 30cm flan tin with the short crust pastry. Trim the edges until they're flush with the edge of the pan (I needed two sheets to cover the whole tin completely).
• Take one of the peaches out of the cooking liquor and dab is slightly on a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Place, cut side down in the uncooked pastry case. Repeat with the remaining peaches. You can discard the cooking liquor (or save it in a clean jar - it makes a great cocktail with some vodka, ice and lemonade/soda water.....).
• Once all the peaches are arranged in the pastry case, use a teaspoon to dot blobs of the frangipane around the peaches - make sure you use it all.
• Place in the oven to cook for 45-55 minutes - until dark golden brown.
• Take out of the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Then place the apricot jam or marmalade in a bowl with a teaspoon of water and microwave it for a few second to loosen it up. Give it a mix, then brush it all over the tart. Sprinkle the almonds on top, then remove from the flan case and serve with thick cream.
• Serve warm or cold - it tastes amazing either way.

PEACH & ALMOND TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, rub together the flour and butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, then mix in the sugar. Add 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water, followed by the next yolk and 1 tsp water until the dough just comes together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface until big enough to line a 23cm tart tin. If the dough rips, simply patch it up. Cut away the excess pastry. Line with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans, then bake for 10 mins. Remove paper and beans. Prick quite a few holes in the base of your tart, then bake for another 10-15 mins until biscuity.
• While the pastry cooks, make the filling. Whisk the sugar and butter together until you get a pale paste. Beat in the eggs and finally add the almonds and flour. Spoon into pastry case, arrange the peach slices across the top in a pattern and bake for 30-40 mins until golden. When cool, brush your preserve or jam across the top. Serve with a little pot of crème fraîche on the side and eat it quick before anyone else gets their hands on it!

SQUASHED PEACH & ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• Beat almonds, butter, egg and half the sugar in a small bowl until mixed. Roll pastry out to the thickness of a 20p piece and, using a saucer about 13cm in diameter, cut out 4 circles. Lift the circles onto a baking tray and spread each thinly with 1 tbsp of almond mixture, leaving a border. Arrange the peach slices on top in a rosette and chill for at least 10 mins before baking. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Bake tarts on the top shelf for 10 mins, then remove from oven. Sprinkle liberally with sugar, cover with baking parchment and lay another samesized tray on the top. Flip the trays so that the tarts are upside-down. Bake for 5-10 mins more, until the pastry is crisp and the peach is sticky and caramelised. (If you don't have two baking sheets, the tarts can be cooked peach-side up for the whole cooking time.)