This makes a smart dinner party dessert but is surprisingly quick to put together — especially with ready-made pastry. Use 375g of all-butter pastry if using ready-made. If you can’t find greengages, try plums or figs.
Serves 8
Ingredients
For the pastry:
170g plain flour
100g cold butter, diced
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg yolk
Ice-cold water
For the filling:
125g butter
110g
caster sugar
2
eggs
125g ground almonds
60g plain flour
4 tbsp ginger preserve
400g
greengages (about 10), halved and pitted
METHOD
Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar. Mix the yolk with 1 tablespoon of water.
Sprinkle with half the egg and water and mix quickly with a knife to form a dough. If it is dry add a little more egg and water liquid. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry until it is about as thick as a £1 coin, and wide enough to line around a 23cm tart tin at least 3.5 cm deep. Chill for at least 20 minutes until it is firm to the touch.
Preheat your oven to 200°C and heat a baking sheet. Line the pastry with parchment, fill with baking beans and bake on the hot baking sheet for 20 minutes until the pastry sides feel dry and sandy.
Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the base feels dry and a little sandy. Remove from the oven. Reduce heat to 150°C.
To make the filling: cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer until pale and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs. Fold in the ground almonds and flour.
Spread the ginger preserve over the pastry base then cover with the almond filling. Smooth the surface and arrange the greengages on top.
Return the tart to the hot baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until the filling is puffed up and golden brown.