Ingredients
Equipment
- You'll need a 20cm x 30cm slice pan.
- 250g (1 2/3 cups) plain flour
- 125g (3/4 cup) icing sugar
- 175g cold unsalted butter, chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 240g (3/4 cup) cherry conserve
- 150g frozen cherries, halved
- 20g (1/4 cup) flaked almonds, roasted
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 200g (1 1/4 cups) blanched almonds
- 180g caster sugar
- 180g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 1 lemon, zested
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
1. Grease pan, then line base and sides with baking paper. To make base, process flour, 75g icing sugar, butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until mixture resembles crumbs. Add egg and process until mixture forms large clumps. Scatter over pan, then, using an offset spatula or your hands, press mixture evenly over the base. Freeze for 15 minutes to firm.
2. Preheat oven to 190C fan-forced. Meanwhile, to make topping, process almonds, 80g sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter, vanilla, lemon zest and remaining 100g sugar, and process until combined. Add eggs and flour, and process until combined. Transfer to a bowl and freeze for 15 minutes or until slightly firm.
3. Bake base for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool for 5 minutes, then spread with conserve. Spoon and spread over topping to cover; to do this, start at edges, then work your way into centre (this prevents conserve from moving). Place cherry halves, cut-side up, in rows on top. Turn fan function off, then bake for 45 minutes or until golden and firm (cover with baking paper if over-browning). Cool in pan.
4. Scatter flaked almonds over slice. Sift remaining 50g icing sugar into a bowl. Gradually stir in enough lemon juice to form a smooth icing. Spoon into a paper piping bag. Pipe a zigzag pattern over slice. Alternatively, using a spoon, drizzle over icing. Set aside for 15 minutes to set.
5. Cut into 20 squares to serve.
