This really is a recipe to file away and bring out when you want to impress with a dessert.

Now you can use frozen raspberries but I didn’t and I think it’s all the better for the fresh fruit.  And you can use bought jam but why when a quick raspberry jam can be whipped up in minutes with frozen raspberries and sugar with a hit of lemon and bingo.  You have much better tasting jam than which comes out of the jar and with no preservatives or forced gelling, etc.

You will need a deepish tart tin – essentially one that will allow for about 3.5cms.  Mine is a Baker’s Secret with a removable base that has lots of holes in it.

Oven to 180.

Ingredients

150g soft unsalted butter
90g caster sugar
2 x extra large free range eggs beaten
240g plain flour
80g ground almonds

Frangipane

200g soft unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
200g ground almonds
2 tblsp plain flour
4 extra large eggs
5 tablespoons raspberry jam (home made or store bought)
Two punnets fresh raspberries

Method

For the pastry, beat your butter with the sugar with a pinch of salt and then add the almonds and flour, then eggs to bring it together and ensure no lumps.  Turn into a disc, cover in wrap and chill.

After one hour, roll it out to fit the tart. Back into the fridge while you make the filling.

Beat butter until light and fluffy.
Add the sugar until pale and well blended.
(At this point I swapped my paddle for the whisk but you don’t have to)
Add ground almonds
Add the flour
Add the eggs one at a time
I put in a very big splash of bush whisky that I bought in Tasmania but you don’t have to add any alcohol, although this French recipe suggested using dark rum, I threw in a slosh or two of my new bush whisky.

Get out the tart tin and begin by spooning in and smoothing a thick but single layer of the raspberry jam.

Then add the almond paste mixture.

Push in as many raspberries as you want – I used loads but I had several punnets in my fridge. You may want to hold a few back for plating up of course.

Bake at 180 for about 45 mins in the middle shelf.  You want it golden and cooked all the way through so test and if you’re concerned, cover loosely with foil and keep baking until you’re happy it’s cooked through.

Leave it to cool.  Serve warm with single pouring cream and a few raspberries or ice cream.

I’ve given you the image below to show you how it looked before I baked it. The frangipane will rise around the raspberries.  I dusted with icing sugar.  It is DIVINE!