For 8-10 tartlets you need
For the pastry
8 oz. flour, preferably plain
pinch salt
4 oz. butter or margarine
1 oz. finely-chopped blanched almonds.
1 egg yolk
water to bind
For the filling
juice 1 -2 lemons
2-3 dessert pears
6-8 oz. firm blackberries
For glaze and decoration
5 tablespoons redcurrant jelly,
1 tablespoon water
2 oz. ground almonds
2 oz. sieved icing sugar
few drops almond essence
little egg white
little castor sugar
- Sieve the flour and salt together, rub in the butter or margarine then add the almonds, egg yolk and water to bind.
- Roll out and line the individual tins; prick these well or cover with a piece of foil and bake blind in a hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown, allow to cool.
- Squeeze out the lemon juice and put into a shallow dish.
- Cut the peeled pears into neat slices (discard the cores); allow 2 slices per tart.
- Turn pear slices in the lemon juice.
- Fill the cases with the fruit and coat with the glaze made by melting the jelly with the water, let this cool.
- Mix the ground almonds, icing sugar, essence and enough egg white to bind
- Roll out on sugared board, cut into leaf shapes, mark the ‘veins’ and put over the top of the fruit.
Oven temperature: moderately hot -425-450°F. – Gas Mark 6-7
Oven position: above centre