Gluten Free Bakewell Tart

Instructions

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour, xanthan gum and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Grate the chilled butter into the bowl (use the large grater setting on a cheese grater) and toss the butter strands through the flour with a spoon. Once the butter is coated with flour, use your finger tips to rub the butter into the flour until you have a coarse breadcrumb-like texture.
3. Beat the egg and add to the bowl. Stir through with the spoon.
4. Add 2 tbsp water and use your hands to bring the ingredients together to form a nice ball of dough. It should come away from the sides of the bowl and the dough will be smooth and pliable. If it is still a bit crumbly, add the third tbsp water and work to combine.
5. Take a large piece of greaseproof paper (approx. 40cm long) and place the ball of dough on the waxed, non-stick side. Press it down gently with your hands to form an oval shape a couple of cm thick. Now fold the paper over to cover the other side of the dough and then fold the edges over so that you have a nice little dough parcel. Place into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
6. Heat the oven to 180C (fan) and lightly grease a 24-26cm (10 inch) loose-bottomed tart tin with butter.
7. Unwrap the chilled pastry and place it on the piece of greaseproof paper. Do not flour the pastry or paper. If you get any sticking while rolling, lay a large sheet of cling film on top of the pastry. Flouring risks drying out the pastry too much.
8. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry out to 0.5cm thick in a large circular shape - wide enough to completely cover the tart tin and sides. If there's any breaking or uneven edges you can just patch them up easily with other pieces of pastry.
9. Carefully flip over the greaseproof paper and place the pastry onto the tart tin.
10. Gently tuck the pastry into the tin, pressing down to completely cover the base and around the sides. Now use a sharp knife to slice off any excess pastry if there is any (you can save these offcuts in the fridge for later use).
11. Use a fork to gently prick holes in the base of the pastry case. Scrunch up the used greaseproof paper, unscrunch, flatten and place on top of the pastry and tin, adding baking beads to fill (see image below) so that you can "blind bake" the tart. Place it into the oven to blind bake for 10 minutes at 180C.
12. After this, remove from the oven, lift out the baking beads and greaseproof paper and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
13. While the pastry is baking, you can make the filling. Add the butter (which should be nice and soft) and sugar to a mixing bowl, then stir until smooth and fully mixed.
14. Add one egg and mix to combine, then the second. Then add the plain gluten free flour, ground almonds, milk and almond extract and mix well for a minute or two until everything is incorporated.
15. Spoon the jam into the baked pastry case (still in its tin, do not take it out) and spread into an even layer.
16. Then spoon the almond filling on top of the jam, carefully spreading it and anchoring to the sides of the pastry, to create and even layer that completely encases the jam.
17. Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top then bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until risen and golden. Ease the bakewell tart out of the tin and slide carefully onto a wire rack to cool. Leave to cool fully or serve slightly warm, finished with a dusting of icing sugar. Or as a dessert with custard, clotted cream, pouring cream or ice cream.