BAKEWELL CREAM BISCUITS RECIPES

Steps:

• For the jam, put the raspberries in a small, deep-sided saucepan and crush them using a masher. Add the sugar and bring to the boil over a low heat until the sugar has melted. Increase the heat and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully pour into a shallow container. Leave to cool and set.
• For the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar. Add the egg and 2 tablespoons cold water, mixing to form soft dough.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to the thickness of a pound coin. Line a 23cm/9in fluted flan tin and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake blind for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and cook for a further 5 minutes to dry out the base. Set aside to cool a little before adding the filling.
• For the filling, spread the base of the pastry case with 4 tablespoons of raspberry jam.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the ground almonds, egg and almond extract and mix together. Spoon the mixture into the pastry case and smooth the surface using a palette knife.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and bake for 25–35 minutes, until golden-brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.
• For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in the almond extract and about 3 tablespoons cold water to make a smooth, fairly thick icing. Place 3 tablespoons of the icing in a separate bowl and add a little pink food colouring gel to make a raspberry coloured icing. Spoon the pink icing into a small piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle.
• When the tart has cooled completely, spoon the white icing on top and spread to form a smooth surface. Pipe parallel lines of pink icing over the white icing, then drag a cocktail stick through the lines (at a 90 degree angle to the lines) to create a feathered effect. Leave to set, then serve in slices.

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, butter and sugar into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add one of the eggs and pulse until the mixture comes together to form a rough dough. If the dough is too dry, add a bit of milk. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in cling film. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Unwrap the dough and discard the cling film. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll out until large enough to line a 30x20cm/12x8in cake tin. Line the tin with the pastry, then place into the fridge to chill for a further 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Line the chilled tart case with a sheet of greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly golden-brown.
• Remove the paper and beans and brush the pastry all over with the remaining beaten egg. Return the pastry to the oven for a further five minutes, until golden-brown. Remove the pastry from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
• For the filling, beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
• Mix in the ground almonds, then crack in the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition until smooth and creamy. Fold in the lemon zest and the flour.
• Spread some of the raspberry jam generously across the base of the pastry, leaving a 2.5cm/1in gap around the edge.
• Spread the filling mixture over the jam and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
• Bake the tart for 20 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden-brown. Allow to cool in the tin before serving.
• To serve, cut the tart into 5cm/2in squares.