Lemon and Almond Tartlets

These are so yummy, my family could not believe that we had never had these flavours together before and in such a simple combination. Yet another recipe from the 1917 Modern Cookery. The quantity makes 12 tartlets.

Lightly butter or spray a 12 hole bun tin. Pre heat your fan oven to 190C

Short crust pastry: I always use 8oz plain flour, 5 oz butter cubed, 1 egg yolk and 1-2 tablespoons cold water. Blitz the flour and butter, then add the liquid in a food processor. Made in seconds. Add the grated zest of half a lemon, along with a dessertspoonful caster sugar, before adding the liquid to bind. You will have some pastry left over, handy to make a small tart base. Chill for 10 mins or so.

Roll out your pastry and line the bun cases.

4 oz ground almonds

4 oz caster sugar

2-3 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and form a soft paste. Divide the almondy mixture into the 12 pastry cases and mark it roughly with a fork [to later hold the lemon marmalade]. Bake in the moderate oven for 20 mins

1 beaten egg

lemon marmalade

Remove from the oven and quickly brush over the beaten egg, adding a sprinkling of more caster sugar on each tartlet. Spread a teaspoonful of lemon marmalade in the centre of each and return to the oven for about 5 minutes.

Oh wow. Brilliant warm or cold, with clotted cream. I will be making these regularly.