Ingredients
- 175g (6oz) plain flour
- 100g (4oz) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
- 40g (1½oz) caster sugar
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- for the filling
- 50g (2oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 50g (2oz) caster sugar
- 1 large free-range egg and 1 yolk, beaten
- 60g (2½oz) ground almonds
- zest and juice ½ lemon
- ½tsp vanilla extract
- 2tbsp raspberry conserve
- 20g (¾oz) flaked almonds
- you will need
- 12-cup shallow bun tin, greased
Method
To make the pastry, mix the flour, butter and sugar along with a pinch of salt in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and a little cold water, and pulse until it comes together to form a dough. Bring it together with your hands and roll flat with a rolling pin into a disc shape. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, 350F, gas 4. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, and cut into discs to fit the bun tin moulds. Carefully shape to fit neatly, then prick the bottoms lightly with a fork. Line each with a small piece of foil and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 20 minutes.
To make the filling, cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy; then gradually beat in the egg and egg yolk, a little at a time. Fold in the ground almonds, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. Set aside.
Remove the pastry cases from the oven, take out the beans and set aside to cool. Add a small amount of the jam to the pastry cases and top with the almond filling – don’t overfill. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
Top Tip
When you're baking mini pastries, it's easier to use foil rather than parchment when blind baking.
