THE HAPPY TART RECIPES

Steps:

• 1 You will need a 28cm (11in) round, loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, 3–4cm (1¼–1½in) deep. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/ Gas 5, and slip a heavy baking sheet inside to heat up.

  2 First make the pastry, either by mixing the flour and butter in a food processor or by hand – rubbing the flour and butter together with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix in briefly, then add the egg and ½–1 tablespoon of water. Mix until the dough just holds together.

  3 Roll the pastry out on a floured surface as thinly as possible, 1–2mm (1/16in) thick, and use to line the tin, making a small lip around the top. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork.

  4 Next make the frangipane filling. Place the butter and sugar in the food processor (no need to wash this out first) and whizz until creamy, blend in the eggs, then mix in the ground almonds and almond extract. Alternatively, beat together with a wooden spoon if making by hand.

  5 Arrange the apricot slices over the base of the pastry and spoon the frangipane mixture on top, spreading it evenly to cover the apricots.

  6 Sit the tart tin on the hot baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 45–50 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the tart is golden brown.

  7 To finish, make a glacé icing by mixing together the icing sugar and apricot juice, adding enough juice to give a pouring consistency and for the icing to hold its shape. Using a spoon, zigzag the icing over the tart and leave to set.

  8 Remove the tart from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm or cold.

  TIPS:

  Sprinkling extra ground almonds on the cooked pastry base before adding the apricots helps to absorb extra moisture.

  The apricots need to be as dry as possible to prevent the juice soaking into the pastry. Dry each one individually with kitchen paper.

  An easy way of removing the tart from the tin is to stand the tart tin on one or two tins or jars; the ring around the tart can then be lowered to your work surface, leaving the tart on the base of the tin. Slide the tart off the base on to a serving plate.

Steps:

• For the pastry case, sift the flour and salt into a food processor, add the butter and lard, then whizz briefly until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1½-2 tbsp cold water and whizz again, very briefly, using the pulse button, until the mixture starts to form clumps (only add more water if it looks too dry), then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out and use to line a 23cm x 3.5cm deep loose-bottomed flan tin. Prick the base here and there with a fork, then chill for 20 minutes (see food team’s tip).
• Put a baking sheet into the oven and preheat it to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Line the pastry case with a crumpled sheet of baking paper and a layer of baking beans/uncooked rice. (See our how to bake blind video below.) Put the case onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry edges are biscuit-coloured. Remove the baking paper and beans/rice, then return it to the oven for 5-6 minutes or until the base of the case is golden brown. Remove and lower the oven temperature to 170°C/fan150°C/gas 3½.
• Put the breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl. Stand the tin of golden syrup in a pan of hot water to warm through and become runny, but don’t let it get too hot. Weigh out the required amount into a saucepan and stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice, followed by the beaten eggs and cream. Drizzle the warm syrup mixture over the breadcrumbs and allow it to sink in, giving a very gentle stir, if necessary, to incorporate all the breadcrumbs (overmixing will give you a dense, chewy filling). Set to one side for 5 minutes to allow the crumbs to swell slightly.
• Pour the mixture into the pastry case and evenly distribute the breadcrumbs through the syrupy mixture. Bake for 45-50 minutes, turning the tin now and then so it cooks evenly, until the filling is just set and golden brown around the edges. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate and serve, cut into thin wedges, with some extra thick double cream or ice cream.