MAKES: 12 SLICES
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus chilling
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes, plus chilling
100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
Flour, for dusting
400 g (14 oz) sweet shortcrust pastry
5 tbsp strawberry jam
125 g (4½ oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp almond extract
150 g (5½ oz) ground almonds
75 g (3 oz) icing sugar, sifted
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5. Grease a 30 × 20 cm (12 × 8 in) or 23 cm (9 in) square loose-bottomed fluted flan tin.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface slightly larger than the tin. Lift the pastry into the tin, pressing gently into the base and sides. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork then chill for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, lift out the paper and beans, and cook for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is light golden. Allow to cool slightly then spread the jam over the base of the pastry. Place the butter and sugar in a medium-sized bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time. Add the almond extract and fold in the ground almonds. Pour this mixture over the jam and level it out with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake the tart on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes until cooked and golden. Allow to cool in the tin.
Mix the icing sugar with 1 tablespoon cold water. Drizzle the icing over the top of the tart using a teaspoon. Keep in the tin for transporting, cover with foil, then cut into rectangles before serving.