Blackcurrant and Almond Tarts

By corlear

This recipe was given to me by Madame Lespinasse, my landlady in the Mâconnais. The tartness of the blackcurrant contrasts wonderfully with the sweetness of the pastry.

Ingredients

• For the filling:
• 2 eggs
• 100 g (31/2 oz) sugar
• 100 g (31/2 oz) ground almonds
• 85 g (3 oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 1/2 tsp vanilla or almond essence
• 250 g (81/2 oz) blackcurrarns, fresh, frozen or tinned
• 30 g (l oz) flaked almonds
• For the pastry:
• 250 g (81/2 oz) plain flour
• 125 g (41/2 oz) icing sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• pinch of salt
• 150 g (51/2 oz) butter, softened and diced
• 1/2 tsp vanilla or almond essence
• To decorate:
• 100 g (31/2 oz) apricot jam, melted (optional)
• a few sprigs blackcurrant or leaves of almond paste (optional)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

To make the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add the egg yolks, salt, butter and essence and mix with a fork until all the flour is absorbed. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Prepare the filling by beating the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is frothy, then beat in the almonds, butter and the essence. Defrost the blackcurrant if frozen or drain if tinned. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 6. Butter four 10cm/4in tart tins.

Roll out the pastry into 4 circles large enough to line each tart tin. Lift the dough with the rolling pin and press it into the tins, trimming off the edges. Distribute the blackcurrants over the bottom of the tarts, cover with the almond filling and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Bake for 35 minutes until browned. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Brush the jam over the tarts to make a glaze and decorate with the blackcurrant sprigs or almond paste leaves.