Food Diaries Recipe | 26 Nov 2022 | Recipes: Apple & Almond Tart & No-Bake Chocolate Cake | Zarnak Sidhwa

Method
Beat the butter and sugar, slowly add the flour, then just before it’s fully combined, add the egg yolk and mix briefly until smooth (if the pastry is dry add 1 tsp cold water). Remove the pastry from the bowl, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge overnight, or for at least 1 hr. For the frangipane, beat the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the almonds and apple juice and beat. Chill until needed. Roll out the pastry on a well-floured surface. Gently press the pastry into a 23cm tart ring on a baking sheet. Chill in the fridge for 20 mins. Spoon in the frangipane and smooth with the back of the spoon, leaving a little gap at the top. Peel and core the apples, then cut into slices across the width of the apple so there’s a hole in the middle of each slice. Arrange the apples on top of the frangipane. Sieve a good layer of icing sugar on top, then bake at 175 degrees C for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the apples are caramelised and the frangipane is cooked. Leave to cool for 30 minutes before serving. To make the Chantilly cream, whip the cream and icing sugar to soft peaks, then add the apple juice and vanilla essence, and whisk again until the mixture holds its shape. Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve with the tart.

Method
Gently heat the chocolate and cream. Stir in the allspice, salt and the coffee powder. Fold in the biscuits and cherries. Pour the mixture into a greased and cling film lined loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, remove from the pan, dust with cocoa powder, decorate with cherries and biscuits and slice.