Bakewell Tarts

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Photo: Mike Krautter
Yield:
10 4-inch tarts

This English pastry is noteworthy for its slick of jam topped with fragrant frangipane. Martha made this recipe on Martha Bakes episode 605.

Ingredients

For the tart shell

  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled

  • cup granulated sugar

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • Pinch of salt

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

For the filling

  • cup blanched whole almonds, toasted

  • ½ cup granulated sugar

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon dark rum

  • ¾ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

  • cup sour cherry jam

For the glaze

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. Make the tart shells: In bowl of food processor, combine butter and granulated sugar and process until smooth. Add egg yolks, salt, and vanilla and process until combined, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup flour and process until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup flour; process to combine. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap and form into a flat square; wrap tightly and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Wipe clean food processor bowl.

  2. Make the filling: In bowl of food processor, add almonds and granulated sugar and process until finely ground. Add butter, egg, flour, rum, salt, and almond extract, and process until frangipane is smooth.

  3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out chilled dough to a 1/4-inch-thickness. Using a 4 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out 10 circles, re-rolling dough as necessary. Fit each circle into a 4-inch round fluted tart pan with removable bottom, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill each tart shell with 1 tablespoon jam, then top with about 2 tablespoons frangipane; place on parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. (You will have about 1/4 cup frangipane leftover.) Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove tarts from pans.

  5. Make the glaze: Sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Stir in lemon juice to combine. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe glaze onto tarts as desired.

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