Recipe: Plum frangipane tarts

Extracted from the book "Bluebells cakery" by Karla Goodwin, Random House, $44.99

Extracted from Bluebells cakery

PREPARATION TIME: 1 hour makes 12

INGREDIENTS 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (125g) caster sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthways and seeds scraped out

2 free-range eggs

1 cup + 1 tbsp (125g) ground almonds

2 tbsp (25g) plain flour

To assemble:

1 batch sweet pastry (see below)

6 plums, stone removed and cut into eighths

1/2 cup blueberries

warmed apricot jam for glazing

METHOD: Cream the butter and sugar with a handheld electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla seeds and the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.

Add the ground almonds and flour and gently mix through until evenly combined.

Set aside until ready to use.

When your pastry has been chilling for at least 30 minutes, grease well two 8cm fluted loose-bottom tart tins.

Take your chilled sweet pastry out of the fridge and roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut out 10cm rounds and line the tart tins, pressing the pastry gently down into the corners. Trim the edges by rolling a rolling pin over the top of the tin. Prick the base of each case with a fork. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan-bake).

Line each pastry case with a round of baking paper that extends over the edges and fill with uncooked rice or baking beans and blind bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully lift off the baking paper and rice or beans.

Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the frangipane into each case. Top with the plum slices, arranging in a circular fashion to resemble a flower.

Return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until the frangipane has set and the pastry looks golden.

Remove from the oven and place a blueberry in the centre and glaze with warmed apricot jam.

Cool before removing the tarts from the tins. The frangipane will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

SWEET PASTRY

2 cups high grade flour

2/3 cups icing sugar

1/4 tsp salt

100g butter, cubed and slightly softened

2 eggs

METHOD: In a large bowl combine flour, sugar and salt and, using only your fingertips, rub in the butter until it resembles very coarse breadcrumbs - you want different-sized lumps of butter in the mix as it's the lumps of butter that create the flakiness. If you want to do this part in a food processor you can, but use the pulse function for only a few seconds at a time, checking between pulses.

Add eggs and, again using only your fingertips, work them in until the dough begins to hold together.

Tip the dough out on to the bench and knead lightly, using the palm of your hands. Push the dough across the bench with the palm of your hand, then use a bench scraper or a knife to gather it back up into a ball. Rotate 180 degrees and repeat. The dough should be smooth, but with a few small pieces of butter showing through.

Form pastry into a ball, flatten into a circle about 1.5cm high and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour (preferably 2 hours) before using as per your recipe's instructions.