Ingredients
Pastry
125g butter, softened
75g icing sugar, sifted
2 large eggs, beaten separately
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
Pinch of sea salt
Filling
150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
150g ground almonds
25g plain flour
1 tsp almond extract
3 tbsp cherry jam
15 fresh cherries, stems removed and stoned
30g flaked almonds
1–2 tbsp runny honey
Clotted cream, to serve
Recipe by Gordon Ramsay in Gordon Ramsay Bread Street Kitchen (2016)
Photography by Jamie Orlando Smith
Method
1. Make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and creamy, then gradually beat in one of the beaten eggs. Gradually stir in the flour and salt, adding a third of the flour at a time, bringing it all together to make a very soft dough. Briefly work into a ball with your hands, but do not overhandle. Pat into a flat round, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for about 1 hour before rolling out. If the dough still feels soft, chill it for a bit longer (see Tip).
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 24cm-round, 2.5cm-deep fluted loose-based tart tin, leaving some excess pastry overhanging the rim (reserve any leftover bits of pastry for patching up the base, if needed). Prick the base all over with a fork, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Place the pastry-lined tin on a baking sheet, line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake ‘blind’ for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the baking beans and paper, then patch up any cracks in the pastry case with the reserved pastry, if necessary. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the pastry case. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, until the base is cooked and pale golden.
4. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4. While still warm, use a sharp knife to trim off the excess pastry level with the rim of the tin, then brush out any loose crumbs from inside the baked case. Leave to cool completely.
5. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then stir in the ground almonds, flour and almond extract until combined.
6. Spread the jam over the base of the pastry case, then spoon over the frangipane. Smooth with a palette knife, then press the cherries into the frangipane. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
7. Bake the tart for 40 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven, brush the top with the honey, then bake for a further 4–5 minutes, until the honey is set and the tart is glossy, checking that the top doesn’t overbrown. Leave to cool completely before removing it from the tin. Slice and serve with clotted cream.
Gordon's tip
If you have time, overnight chilling for the raw pastry works best, so that it firms up. Just remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before rolling out so it is manageable.