Almond Cream Pastry Recipe

Ingredients

• 9 oz (250 g) flour, plus extra for flouring
• 2 tsp salt
• 3½ fl oz (100 ml) water
• 9 oz (250 g) butter, sliced & chilled

• 3 egg yolks
• 2 oz (60 g) sugar
• 1¼ oz (35 g) cornstarch
• 1 pt (600 ml) milk
• the peel of a large lemon (in one piece)
• 1¾ oz (50 g) almonds, sliced & lightly toasted, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
2. Put the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, and add the salt and water. Mix well, and then knead until you get a smooth, elastic dough. Refrigerate the dough for a couple of hours.
3. Turn the chilled dough out on to a lightly floured board, and roll out into the rough shape of a cross. Put the slices of chilled butter in the centre of the cross, and fold in the ‘arms’ of the cross.
4. Roll out the dough into a square. Fold the top part down to the centre, then the bottom up to meet it. Roll out again into a square shape, and fold again as before. Repeat six times.
5. Roll out the dough to ½ cm (¼in) thickness and cut into preferred shape and size. Cook for about 20 minutes on a baking sheet/tray and lower the temperature to 190°C (375°F) if it begins to brown too quickly. Leave to cool.
6. Mix together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch.
7. Heat the milk with the lemon peel in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the egg yolk mixture, stirring continuously to ensure it doesn’t burn. Take out the peel, then remove the pan from the heat and allow the custard to cool.
8. Spoon the custard into the pastry cases and sprinkle with the sliced almonds. If desired, use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the top.