Friday feast: Cranberry Almond Tart

This recipe is based on a tart my dear friend and former business partner, Rosada Hayes, used to make whenever we were due for a get-together. She was inspired by the Bakewell tart and usually made hers with an apple or apricot filling. I have many treasured memories of sitting in her kitchen in London, enjoying her delicious cakes and tarts with bottomless pots of Earl Grey tea.

Here, the deep red colour and tart, tangy flavour of cranberries cooked in orange juice pairs beautifully with the almond topping.

NOTE: If cranberries aren’t available, try using blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or a combination. Since these berries create enough juice on their own, leave out the orange juice and start with just 2 tablespoons maple syrup, increasing to taste, then thicken with arrowroot as in the recipe. Zest the orange for the topping before juicing it for the filling.

MAKES ONE 23-CM (9-IN) TART

EQUIPMENT: 23-CM (9-IN) FLUTED TART TIN WITH REMOVABLE BOTTOM

PASTRY:

• 25 g (1 oz/¼ cup) regular rolled oats
  
• 25 g (1 oz/¼ cup) dried, unsweetened, grated coconut
  
• 35 g (1 ¼ oz/¼ cup) whole raw almonds
  
• 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
  
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  
• 75 g (2½ oz/¾ cup), plus 2 tablespoons spelt flour
  
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the tin
  
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

FILLING:

• 2 teaspoons arrowroot
  
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
  
• 360 g (12½ oz/3 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
  
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

TOPPING:

• 260 g (9 oz/2½ cups) almond flour (almond meal or ground almonds)
  
• 1 teaspoon aluminium-free baking powder
  
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) maple syrup
  
• Zest of 1 orange
  
• Zest of 1 lemon
  
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
  
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
  

MAKE THE PASTRY:
Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Thoroughly oil tart tin and set aside. Combine oats, coconut, almonds, rice flour and salt in a food processor and blend until fi nely ground, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and stir in spelt flour. Drizzle in olive oil; mix with a fork or your fingertips until all flour is moistened. Add maple syrup and vanilla and mix again. Pastry should be moist but not sticky. Wash and dry your hands and press pastry evenly into tart tin. Trim any excess pastry from edges. Prick bottom of tart with a fork several times and bake for 15 minutes; pastry should be set but not done. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave oven on.

MAKE THE FILLING:
Place arrowroot in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the orange juice; stir to combine and set aside. In a small pan, combine 300 g (10½ oz/2½ cups) of the cranberries, remaining orange juice, maple syrup and cinnamon. Bring to the boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until the cranberries are soft. Remove lid, stir arrowroot mixture again and slowly drizzle into simmering cranberries, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened and returned to a simmer. Remove from heat and spread into pre-baked tart shell.

MAKE THE TOPPING:
Combine almond flour (almond meal or ground almonds) and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl, breaking up any lumps of almond flour (almond meal or ground almonds) with your fingertips or a whisk. In another bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, orange zest, lemon zest, salt, vanilla extract and almond extract; whisk until emulsified. Pour into almond flour (almond meal or ground almonds) mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until completely combined – mixture will be quite wet. Scoop spoonfuls of mixture over cranberry filling and use damp fingers to spread topping out a little, leaving it rustic with some filling showing in parts to allow cranberries to bubble up. Lightly press remaining 60 g (2 oz/½ cup) cranberries into topping and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Allow tart to cool completely before removing from tin and serving.

READ At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen: Celebrating the Art of Eating Well by Amy Chaplin, photographs by Johnny Miller (Jacqui Small, £25)

COOK Get ideas at amychaplin.com