English apricot and almond bake recipe
 This frangipane-filled tart is an easy teatime treat that combines buttery pastry, sweet almonds and summery apricots. 375g/13oz ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry200g/7oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing200g/7oz caster sugar3 large free-range eggs200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting125g/4½oz ground almonds½ tsp baking powder150g/5oz apricot jam, warmed until melted8 fresh apricots, stones removed, cut into quarters 375g/13oz ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry 200g/7oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 200g/7oz caster sugar 3 large free-range eggs 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting 125g/4½oz ground almonds ½ tsp baking powder 150g/5oz apricot jam, warmed until melted 8 fresh apricots, stones removed, cut into quarters Method Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Grease a 30x23cm/12x9in cake tin with butter and line with baking paper. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the cake tin and 0.5cm/¼in thick. Roll the pastry onto a rolling pin, then line the cake tin with the pastry, pressing it gently into the corners and trimming away any excess. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes, until pale, fluffy and well combined. Alternatively, use a free-standing food mixer to do this. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each has been incorporated into the mixture before adding the next.Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder.Brush the pastry with the warmed apricot jam, then spoon in the filling mixture and smooth the top with a palette knife. Decorate the top of the filling with the apricot halves.Bake the tart in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the filling has risen and is golden-brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (if it doesn’t, return the bake to the oven for a further 5 minutes). Set aside to cool, in the tin, on a wire rack, then remove from the tin and cut into rectangles to serve. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Grease a 30x23cm/12x9in cake tin with butter and line with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Grease a 30x23cm/12x9in cake tin with butter and line with baking paper. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the cake tin and 0.5cm/¼in thick. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the cake tin and 0.5cm/¼in thick. Roll the pastry onto a rolling pin, then line the cake tin with the pastry, pressing it gently into the corners and trimming away any excess. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling. Roll the pastry onto a rolling pin, then line the cake tin with the pastry, pressing it gently into the corners and trimming away any excess. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes, until pale, fluffy and well combined. Alternatively, use a free-standing food mixer to do this. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes, until pale, fluffy and well combined. Alternatively, use a free-standing food mixer to do this. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each has been incorporated into the mixture before adding the next. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each has been incorporated into the mixture before adding the next. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Brush the pastry with the warmed apricot jam, then spoon in the filling mixture and smooth the top with a palette knife. Decorate the top of the filling with the apricot halves. Brush the pastry with the warmed apricot jam, then spoon in the filling mixture and smooth the top with a palette knife. Decorate the top of the filling with the apricot halves. Bake the tart in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the filling has risen and is golden-brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (if it doesn’t, return the bake to the oven for a further 5 minutes). Set aside to cool, in the tin, on a wire rack, then remove from the tin and cut into rectangles to serve. Bake the tart in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the filling has risen and is golden-brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (if it doesn’t, return the bake to the oven for a further 5 minutes). Set aside to cool, in the tin, on a wire rack, then remove from the tin and cut into rectangles to serve.