Almond Moon Recipe
This is our gluten free take on the familiar British Bakewell tart. Instead of pastry we use our classic polenta shortbread base, packed with almonds. The Drunken cherry filling is strictly for grown-ups, and the topping is a simple frangipane with cherries stirred in.
makes: 15 pieces
health: gluten-free
cook: 55 minutes
store: 5 days in airtight tin. Freeze well
compost: eggshells, cherry stones and stalks
Polenta shortbread base (find the recipe here)
FRANGIPANE
3 eggs
175 g/6 oz/generous ¾ cup vanilla granulated sugar
140 g/5 oz/1½ cups ground almonds
1½ tsp almond extract
100 g/3½ oz/generous ½ cup ground brown flax seeds (linseed)
140 g/5 oz dried sour cherries
175 g/6 oz/¾ cup butter, melted
FILLING
2 tbsp cherry jam
125 g/4½ oz Drunken cherries, pitted
TOPPING
55 g/2 oz/scant ½ cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
70 g/2½ oz dried sour cherries
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
Prepare and bake the polenta shortbread base.
To make the frangipane, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, almonds, almond extract, ground flax seeds, sour cherries and melted butter. Beat with an electric mixer, starting at low speed and gradually increasing to high, until fluffy and creamy, but don’t overmix.
Once the shortbread base has cooled, spread the cherry jam evenly over it. Scatter the Drunken cherries over the jam.
Spoon the frangipane mixture over the cherries and jam, spreading evenly while being careful not to mix it with the jam and fruit.
Sprinkle the top with the chopped almonds and sour cherries, pushing them in lightly with your hands. Bake for 35 minutes, until deep golden and firm to the touch. Leave in the tin to cool completely, then turn out and cut into pieces.
Great for kids
To make a non-alcoholic version, use sour cherries rather than Drunken cherries in the filling.
Baking tip
For this recipe you don’t need to wait 2-3 months for the Drunken cherries; a week is fine.
This recipe is taken from Honeybuns Gluten-Free Baking by Emma Goss-Custard, published by Pavilion. Recipe photography Cristian Barnett. For further information about this and other recipes from our book, do take a look at our Book FAQ’s.
If you liked this recipe, why not try the Amondi Cookie recipe also from this book.
