Ingredients
800g sweet shortcrust pastry
150g ground almonds
150g cake crumbs or digestive biscuits
120g candied peel
100g blanched almonds
100g sugar
80g chocolate chips
25g cocoa powder
2 eggs
2 tbsps jam
Vanilla essence
For decoration
Melted chocolate
Royal icing
Almond or sugar paste
Candied cherries

Method

Put the almonds in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Place over medium heat and stir often until the almonds turn golden brown. You can also roast the almonds in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Spread the almonds in one layer in a shallow baking dish.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden.

Leave the almonds to cool completely before chopping them into medium-sized pieces.

Preheat the oven 190ºC, gas mark 5.

Put all the dry ingredients required for the filling into a bowl and stir them together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry thinly and line a 24cm diameter, non-stick baking dish with it. If possible, use a loose-bottomed tin. This will make it easier to remove the baked tart later on.

Press the pastry lightly and firmly all over the base and sides of the tin, easing any overlapping pastry back down the sides, as it is important not to stretch this bit too much.

Trim the edges, leaving a small edge of pastry sticking over the edge of the baking dish to allow for shrinkage in the oven.

Prick the base all over with a fork and spread some jam over the pastry.
Spoon the filling into the pastry case and flat it with a palette knife or the back of a spoon.

Bake for about 45 minutes and leave the tart to cool completely before removing it from the tin.

Decorate with melted chocolate, almond or sugar paste, royal icing and candied cherries.

Anton Dougall is an Expert on Maltese food.