FLAKED ALMONDS RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the pastry, put the flour in a food processor along with the salt and icing sugar. Blitz to combine. Add the butter and pulse in short bursts until it's the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Mix 4 tbsp cold water with the beaten eggs and drizzle into the mixture, then quickly pulse to combine. Tip out the crumbly mixture onto a work surface, then form into a puck, cover and chill for 30 mins.
• Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to around 25cm, and to the thickness of a £1 coin. Line a 20cm fluted tart tin with the pastry, leaving the pastry to overhang. Add a large disc of baking parchment big enough to cover the edges, and some baking beans to weigh it down (use dried rice or lentils if you don’t have baking beans). Bake for 15 mins, then remove the parchment and beans and bake for a further 7-10 mins or until the bottom is evenly cooked. Trim off any overhanging pastry with a serrated knife.
• For the filling, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add the ground almonds, almond extract and eggs and beat for a further minute. Spread the jam over the pastry, then top with the almond filling. Scatter over the flaked almonds and bake for 25-30 mins until golden and firm. Leave to cool in the tin (or eat warm at this stage and leave out step 4).
• Mix together the icing sugar and 1-2 tsp water and drizzle over the tart. Slice and serve with cream or custard, if you like.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4 and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
  2. Finely chop the dried fruit or peel.
  3. Place a small saucepan over a low heat and add the sugar, butter and flour, stirring to combine. Keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then gradually add the crème fraîche.
  4. Take off the heat and stir in the flaked almonds, seeds and dried fruit or peel.
  5. While it’s still warm, use teaspoons to drop little mounds of mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving a few centimetres between each one to allow them room to spread.
  6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool a little on the sheet before cooling on a rack.
  7. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, then, using a spoon, drizzle it over the florentines.
  8. Let the chocolate set completely, before transferring the biscuits to boxes, or wrapping in greaseproof paper and ribbons.