Ingredients

• 125g/4½oz cold butter
• 250g/9oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 1 free-range egg
• 225g/8oz jam
• 225g/8oz butter
• softened
• 1 vanilla pod
• split and seeds scraped out (pod reserved)
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 5 free-range eggs
• 225g/8oz ground almonds
• 75g/3oz whole blanched almonds
• 250ml/9fl oz milk
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 110g/4oz caster sugar

Directions

• For the pastry
• put the butter and flour into a food mixer and mix until the texture resembles breadcrumbs
• then add the egg and mix until combined into a firm dough.
• Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• For the tart
• preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
• On a work surface lightly dusted with flour
• roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick.
• Carefully line a 23cm/9in deep-sided
• loose bottomed tart tin with the pastry
• pressing the pastry into the edges of the tin. Spread the jam over the base of the tart
• then place in the fridge to rest for 10 minutes.
• To make the frangipane
• beat the butter
• vanilla seeds and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
• Crack in the eggs
• one at a time
• beating well after each addition
• until all of the eggs have been fully incorporated into the mixture. Fold in the ground almonds carefully by hand.
• Top the pastry case with the almond mixture and smooth to the edges
• then decorate with the blanched almonds
• in concentric circles.
• Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes
• or until the filling has risen
• is cooked through and the surface is pale golden-brown.
• For the custard
• put the milk and cream in a shallow saucepan with the vanilla pod leftover from making the frangipane filling. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
• Meanwhile
• whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl.
• When the milk is boiling
• pour it onto the eggs whisking all the time
• then return the whole mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle heat
• whisking occasionally until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Strain into a clean pan and warm through.
• To serve
• cut the tart into wedges
• place onto plates and pour the custard alongside.