Cherry Almond Pastry Treats

Step 1: Prepare the Pastry

1. Roll Out the Pastry:

   • Lightly flour your work surface.
   • Roll out the puff pastry until it's very thin, about 2-3mm thick.

2. Cut the Circles:

   • Use a fluted cutter to stamp out 12 circles, each 9cm in diameter.
   • If you don't have a fluted cutter, a regular round one will do.

3. Line the Bun Tin:

   • Place each circle into a muffin or bun tin, pressing gently to fit. Ensure the pastry slightly rises above the edge of the tin.

4. Add Cherry Jam:

   • Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of morello cherry jam into the bottom of each pastry shell. Spread it evenly for a nice base.

Step 2: Make the Filling

5. Prepare Cake Crumbs:

   • Break the sponge or Madeira cake into pieces and place them in a food processor.
   • Pulse until you have fine crumbs.

6. Combine Ingredients:

   • In a mixing bowl, add the cake crumbs, self-raising flour, softened butter, ground almonds, golden caster sugar, eggs, and almond extract.

7. Mix Until Smooth:

   • Use a hand mixer or whisk to beat everything together until you have a smooth filling. It should be thick but spreadable.

Step 3: Assemble the Tarts

8. Fill the Tarts:

   • Spoon the filling evenly into each tart shell, spreading it over the cherry jam with the back of a teaspoon.

9. Top with Flaked Almonds:

   • Sprinkle flaked almonds on top of each filled tart for added crunch and flavor.

Step 4: Freeze the Tarts

10. Open Freeze:

    • Place the filled tarts on a baking tray and put them in the freezer for about 2 hours until they’re firm.

11. Wrap for Freezing:

    • After freezing, wrap each tart tightly in cling film. You can store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Step 5: Bake the Tarts

12. Preheat the Oven:

    • Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4). Place a baking sheet inside to heat up.

13. Prepare for Baking:

    • Take the frozen tarts out of the freezer and remove the cling film. Loosely cover each tart with a sheet of foil to prevent over-browning.

14. Bake:

    • Place the tarts on the hot baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil halfway through to let them brown nicely.

Step 6: Decorate

15. Cool the Tarts:

    • Let the tarts cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

16. Make Icing:

    • In a bowl, mix a small splash of water into the icing sugar until you achieve a runny consistency. Adjust as needed.

17. Drizzle Icing:

    • Once the tarts are cool, drizzle the icing over the tops. You can use a spoon or a piping bag for precision. Allow the icing to set for a few minutes.

Tip

• Baking Without Freezing: If you prefer to bake the tarts right away, follow the same instructions but skip the freezing step. Ensure the pastry is rolled thinly to prevent puffing up too much. Sweet shortcrust pastry can also be used for a different texture!