PASTRY & VARIATIONS: This recipe utilizes ground almonds, in addition to butter, in making flaky pastry. The almonds gives the pastry extra flavour and richness.

BASIC ALMOND TART DOUGH:

 

 

 

dry ingredients:

    ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon flour                                

    1/3 cup ground almonds

    1 tsp lemon rind                                          

    2 tbsp. sugar

    pinch of salt                                                

    ¼ tsp. cinnamon

4 tbsp. cold butter cut into small pieces          

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp. heavy cream

 

 

 

 

Place dry ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade.  Use on/off pulses to blend.  Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together egg yolk and cream. Add to mixture through the feed tube with machine running and pulse on/off until dough is just coming together. Do not over process.

 

Turn mixture out onto a large piece of waxed paper. Bring corners of paper together and press mixture into dough. Knead with hands gently once or twice to shape into a ball. Flatten ball out into a large flat round shape. Wrap well with wax paper.  Chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using.   Dough may be frozen for up to 1 month at this point.

 

This recipe makes enough dough for a 9-inch large tart, or six 2 ½-to-3-inch tartlets.