Prune And Nut Tart

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ounces icing sugar, plus a bit extra for dusting
• 2 medium eggs (one for the pastry, one for the glaze)
• 6 ounces plain flour
• 4 ounces butter
• 4 medium eggs
• 6 ounces light muscovado sugar
• 4 ounces sliced almonds
• 20 prunes, stoned
• creme fraiche or cream, to serve

Recipe

• 1 if you want to make the pastry by hand, beat the butter until it is smooth then mix in the icing sugar, one of the eggs and then add the flour.
• 2 or, put all the pastry ingredients (again 1 egg only) in the food processor with 2 tsp water and process just until they form a dough.
• 3 wrap the pastry in cling film and put in the fridge for half an hour or so to firm up.
• 4 (you can freeze pastry now for up to a month) you need to bake the pastry case blind before you add the filling.
• 5 the best and easierst way to roll the pastry is between 2 floured pieces of cling film.
• 6 line a loose bottomed 23cm tart tin with the pastry, then line this with a piece of greaseproof paper.
• 7 put your baking beans on the paper and then put the pastry case in the freezer.
• 8 preheat the oven to 190*c (375*f).
• 9 when the pastry case is rock solid, put it into the oven on a baking sheet.
• 10 after 15 minutes, lift out the paper and beans very carefully and glaze the inside with your second egg, beaten first.
• 11 (this makes sure you have no leaks later) put back in the ove and bake for a further 5 minutes.
• 12 for the filling, melt the butter and leave to cool a little.
• 13 while this is happening, beat the eggs, stir in the sugar and cooled butter.
• 14 scatter half the almonds in the base of the tart, then spread the prunes around.
• 15 pour the filling over evenly.
• 16 scatter the rest of the almonds over the top and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until firm.
• 17 take it out, dust with some icing sugar and serve hot, cold or warm with creme fraiche or cream.