Flower Tart – Country Living Holidays

NOTE: This elegant tart with sugared-flower topping can be made with
an almond filling for a spectacular holiday dessert or without the
filling for a table or sideboard holiday display that will last
several days.

1. Several hours or day before, prepare Sugared Flowers, Petals, or
Leaves. At least 45 minutes before, prepare Pastry.

2. Heat oven to 375’F. On floured surface, roll out pastry to 11 -inch
round. Fit pastry into 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom.
Line pastry shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or
beans. Bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake shell 10
minutes longer. Set aside. If making for display, cool and fill with
Sugared Flowers. Petals, or Leaves at this point.

3. In food processor fitted with chopping blade, grind 1 C almonds
with the sugar until very fine.

4. In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and
almond-sugar mixture until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating
well after each addition. Stir in flour and almond extract just until
combined and stiff batter forms.

5. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 C almonds over bottom of tart shell. Gently
pour batter over almonds.

6. Bake tart 20 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on wire rack.
Remove tart from pan; place on serving platter and top with Sugared
Flowers, Petals, or Leaves. Cut into 10 wedges to serve. Pastry: In
medium-size bowl, combine 1 1/4 C unsifted all-purpose flour and 1/4 t
salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in 6 1/2 T butter until
mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 2 to 3 T cold water, 1 T at
a time, over flour mixture and mix lightly with fork until pastry is
moist enough to press into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.