Summer Bakewell Tarts

Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan. Grease a 12-hole muffin tray or 12 mini tart tins with butter or oil spray. Cut out 12 rounds of baking parchment to roughly fit the holes/tins.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry to about 3mm thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out pastry rounds that fit in your prepared cupcake/muffin tray or mini tart tins, allowing extra to cover the sides – approximately 10cm rounds for a standard cupcake tray. Press these carefully into the cavities and refrigerate for around 30 mins.

Line the chilled pastry rounds with the baking parchment rounds and weigh down the paper with baking beans. Slide into the oven and bake for around 10–15 mins, or until starting to brown.

Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg yolk and milk. Remove the pastry rounds from the oven and remove the baking beans and paper. Brush all over with the egg wash and bake for another 2 mins. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, make the frangipane: Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl or mug. In a separate bowl, use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar together for approximately 3 mins until thick and creamy. Beat in the ground almonds, then add the eggs a little at a time, beating between additions. Finally beat in the sifted flour.

Spoon 2 tsp of the jam into each pastry case. Spoon or pipe in a layer of frangipane, then top with a few untoasted flaked almonds. Return to the oven to bake for 20–25 mins, or until the frangipane is golden brown. Try to avoid opening the oven before 15 mins have passed, as the delicate structure of the frangipane means they have a tendency to sink. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

(Optional:) Melt the apricot jam with a dash of water in a small pan over a low heat and brush over the just-baked tarts to glaze.

(Optional): To serve, top each tart with a dab of almond buttercream, a fresh cherry and some toasted flaked almonds.