"A few handfuls of blackberries picked on a walk and some toasted hazlenuts turn this simple tart into a celebration of the autumn hedgerow. If you're lucky enough to have hazlenuts or cobnut growing locally, and can beat the local squirrel to them, then use those instead! If you don't have time to forage then no worries, just look for the Red Tractor logo when you buy your fresh ingredients to make sure they are British.
Makes: 1 x 23cm loose bottomed tart tin (fluted)
Ingredients
- 500g plain flour
- 300g unsalted butter
- 2 eggs (you might not need all of the egg)
- 50g hazelnuts
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 250g caster sugar 4 eggs, beaten
- 50g plain flour, sifted (replace with ground almonds to make gluten free)
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 250g ground almonds/ ground hazelnuts
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 100g toasted hazelnuts, roughly crushed
For the blackberry compote:
- 350g blackberries fresh (or frozen)
- 20g caster sugar
- 20g honey
- Juice of ½ lemon?
- 200g blackberries (left whole)
- 25g hazelnuts, to top
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and ensure you have a 23cm loose bottomed fluted tart case at the ready.
- Put the hazelnuts onto a flat baking tray and toast in the oven as it heats up, for about 10 minutes.
- Put the flour and butter in a large mixing bowl and rub the butter in with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs, or whizz in the food processor.
- Break the eggs into a jug and mix together with a fork. Add the egg to the flour and butter mixture, a little at a time, and stir in with a knife or whizz again. Keep adding the egg until you have a soft dough. Pull together with your hands, shape into a rough ball then wrap in baking paper and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
- Take the pastry out of the fridge, lightly dust the work-top with flour and roll out.
- Press the dough into the prepared tin in an even layer and blind bake: put a crushed-up sheet of baking paper on top of the pastry and tip in baking beans in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Or freeze the pastry case and cook from frozen.
- Cream together the butter and sugar with a metal hand whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat gently until well incorporated. Use a large metal spoon to fold in the flour and ground almonds.
- To make the compote, put the blackberries into a small pan with the sugar and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Allow it to cool slightly.
- Spread the compote onto the cooled pastry base. Spread the cake mixture (frangipane) on top, sprinkle with the whole blackberries and remaining hazelnuts and then bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is light, golden and springy to the touch.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the tin before carefully removing onto a cake stand or pretty serving plate.