Almond Tart

I acquired this recipe from a colleague of mine at a wine bar where I used to work when I was first living in Portland.  She served it on her patio in her garden with chocolate sauce, and we enjoyed it with some wine.  I love anything almond, and this tart magnifies that nutty flavor, and I enjoy it on its own or with some lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  This is a Martha Stewart recipe that I have adjusted slightly.  It is perfect for entertaining, which is very "Martha" but also very fun. Pair it with the new 2024 Primitivo.

Recipe by Martha Stewart, with a few tweaks from me after making this for years!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST:

• 1 ½ sticks of butter, melted

• 1 ½ cups flour

• 1 ½ tablespoons sugar

• 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon water

• Pinch of salt

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 cup sliced almonds

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• ¾ cup sugar

• 1 large egg, slightly beaten

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• ½ teaspoon Grand Marnier or Amaretto

• Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

For the crust: Preheat oven to 400° F. Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, sugar, and salt. In a large bowl, stir together butter, vanilla, and water. Pour over the flour mixture and stir to combine. Press dough into pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350° F.

For the filling: Stir together the almonds, heavy cream, sugar, egg, almond extract, Grand Marnier, and salt. Pour into crust and bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before removing the sides of the tart pan and before cutting into it (it’s hard to wait!). Serve with a glass of the 2024 Primitivo!