Almond fingers

Tam West

I enjoy these unpretentious almond fingers with a cup of coffee or tea during the merry season.

Ingredients

2 cups	Flour (Main)
¼ cup	Caster sugar
100 g	Cold butter, cut into small dice
2	Egg yolks
¼ cup	Water
1 tsp	Almond essence (Main)

Topping

2	Egg whites
1 cup	Icing sugar, sifted
½ cup	Slivered almonds

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease a baking tray.
2. Place the flour with a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add the caster sugar and butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Mix together the egg yolks, water and almond essence and add to the mixture. Process until the pastry just begins to come together. Turn out on to a lightly-floured bench top and bring together. Roll out the pastry until thin, about 30cm x 25cm and place on the baking tray. (You can roll directly on to the baking tray if you find that easier.) Prick well with a fork, then place in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from fridge and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and lower oven temperature to 170C.
5. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold in the icing sugar. Spread over the pastry then sprinkle over the slivered almonds.
6. Place in the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes until the meringue is set and golden.
7. Leave to cool before cutting into fingers. Store in an airtight container, layering with baking paper as you go.

See more of Kathy's sweet treats

• Old-fashioned chocolate fudge slice
• Victoria sponge