Almonds and rhubarb are a classic combination — perfect for afternoon tea. To save time you could use a ready-made 23cm pastry shell.

METHOD

• To make the pastry: tip the flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined.
• Add the butter/margarine and orange zest and pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
• Add the yolk and 1 tbsp of the iced water then pulse until it starts to clump together. If it looks dry you may need to add a little more water – up to a tablespoon.
• Tip the dough onto your work surface, pat into a disc and wrap with cling film before refrigerating for 30 minutes.
• Pre heat oven to 180°C, flour the work surface and top of the pastry and roll out to line a 23-cm deep pie tin.
• Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork, Cover the pastry with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and blind bake for approximately 18 minutes.
• Remove the parchment and baking beans and return the pastry to the oven for a further 5 minutes to dry out the base.
• For the filling: beat the butter and sugar together with a stand or hand mixer until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well between each addition. If it looks like it’s curdling, add a dessert spoon of flour to bring it back together. Add the almond extract if using. Fold in the ground almonds and remaining flour then scrape into the pastry case.
• Arrange the rhubarb over the surface packing it in well as it shrinks on cooking. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp sugar over the top, place the tart on a baking sheet and in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour until set. If it’s browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
• Allow tart to cool and then garnish with flaked almonds and icing sugar.

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