Apricot Frangipane Tart

So I've just got home from the gym making this whole project slightly counterproductive but there's alway time for cake, right?

Ever since discovering a few nights ago that I do in fact like marzipan (desperate times call for desperate searching of the cupboards for any chocolate you can find) I've become slightly obsessed and had to bake something almondy and sweet as soon as I could - much to my mum's pleasure.

This is a Mary Berry recipe - my go to goddess- so I knew it would turn out well (it's cooking as I'm typing and I'm wondering if it's worth taking it out early to be able to eat it sooner). It was pretty simple to bake and although I did make the pastry, you could cut this step and by shop bought to make the process even quicker.

Ingredients; 

Pastry

• 175g Plain flour 
• 75g Unsalted butter 
• 25g Caster sugar 
• 1 Egg
• 1tbsp water 

Filling 

• 75g Caster sugar
• 75g Unsalted butter (soft)
• 75g Ground almonds
• 2 Eggs
• 1tsp Almond extract 
• 1 1/2 400g Tinned apricot halves

Method; 

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 180C
2. Weigh out the flour into a mixing bowl and add in the butter in cubes to begin making the pastry - I did it by hand but a food processor would work too. Rub the butter and flour together until all combined and there's a breadcrumb like consistency.
3. Next stir in the sugar to the flour and butter and then add in the egg, the dough should start to come together but you can add in the water if you need a bit more moisture to finish it off. 
4. Now roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and keep rolling until about 1-2mm thick - it should be big enough to line a 28cm tart tin and cover the sides too. 
5. Transfer the pastry to cover the tin and prick with a fork. 
6. Cover the pastry with foil and then blind bake for 10 minutes just to let the pastry have a head start. 
7. Whilst baking the pastry, make the frangipane filling. To do this, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy (this was a work out in itself) and then add in the egg and beat until all combined. Next stir in the ground almonds and the almond extract. 
8. Slice the apricot halves and dry with kitchen paper to get any excess juices off to prevent the pastry from going soggy. 
9. Once the pastry is out of the oven, scatter a few flaked almonds over the bottom before arranging the apricot slices to cover the base. Then spoon on the frangipane filling and spread with a spatula to cover the apricots - it didn't seem like there was enough but be patient and it will cover! 
10. Now place the tart back in the oven to cook for between 30 - 40 minutes - the pastry should be crisp and the tart should be golden brown (try and prevent yourself from taking it out early to eat it - I just about managed). 
11. To decorate the tart and heated up some flaked almonds in a pan to give them a bit of colour and made an icing using the juice from the tinned apricots and 2tbsp icing sugar. 
12. Eat warm, cold, after dinner, for breakfast or whenever you're in need of a sweet fix.

Perhaps when it's pitch black outside isn't the best time to try and take a photo, but it won't be a whole tart soon so I had to take some photographic evidence before it's demolished...