Almond – Sweet Tooth Experiments

Pink Strawberry Almond Cake with Rosé Frosting

Posted on June 21, 2020 Posted in Cakes .

Pink Strawberry Almond Cake with Rosé Frosting

I’ve done many baking experiments in the past with alcohol, spirits, liquors, cider, beer you name it but one alcohol beverage I have struggled with is wine. Don’t get me wrong, my Red Wine Chocolate Cake is to die for but champagne, white wine and sparling…I have tried these beverages in recipes and every time have failed.

You would think vanilla and champagne cupcakes would work well…but they taste as bland as plain cupcakes can be.

The main issue is I don’t really like wine so when the idea of wine in baking keeps getting thrown at me I continually experiments and am not left impressed with the result.

For something different this time I decided on Rosé. Knowing the flavour profile and complementary ingredient possibilities I managed to get it right this time with baking success.

The success funnily enough has come from the wine itself. I don’t even like Rosé but this icing was absolutely decadent and moreish.

Pink Strawberry Almond Cake with Rosé Frosting

Ingredients:

Cake:

375g strawberry jam
285g butter, softened
240g caster sugar
4 eggs
75g almond meal
250g plain flour
½ tsn bicarb of soda

Frosting:

500ml pink rosé
125g strawberry jam
130g butter, softened
250g icing sugar
3 drops pink food colouring

Method:

Preheat oven to 180c degrees and line a 30cm cake tin with baking paper.
Beat butter and sugar for 5 minutes or until creamy and pale with electric beaters.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between each addition.
Puree the jam in a food processor until smooth, leave aside.
In a separate bowl combine the almond meal, flour and bi-carb of soda, stir.
Sieve the flour mix into the butter mix along with half the strawberry jam puree. Beat with electric beats until just combine.
Pour the mix into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Wait 5 minutes then invert the cake onto a cake tray to cool completely.
Meanwhile make the icing by place the wine in a saucepan on medium heat until it reduces to 25ml, set aside to cool.
Using electric beaters whisk the butter, sugar, colouring, remaining strawberry jam puree and rosé reduction for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Cut the top of the cake horizontally to even the surface then cut the cake in half horizontally.
Spread the icing on the bottom cake layer, place the 2nd layer on top, ice the top cake layer and sides – enjoy!

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Pink Strawberry Almond Cake with Rosé Frosting

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Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

Posted on February 16, 2019 Posted in Biscuits .

Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

I’ve made chickpea chocolate cake in the past, chocolate coconut slice, almond and chocolate cake, coconut and almond cupcakes….however I have never mixed these 4 flavors together. As they all taste like a dream with chocolate I thought there could be a combo potential.

So I decided to do some experimenting with these 4 flavors with biscuit variations. I looked at using butter vs. coconut oil, coconut flour vs. almond meal vs. rice flour, cocoa powder vs. chocolate, nil-chocolate biscuit dough, double chocolate biscuit varieties and the list goes on….

Suffice to say I made a few different batches that were slightly altered from the last.

This recipe I’m posting is the hands down winner. All flavors come out spectacularly. Even with the ‘gluten free’ component and legume inclusion they don’t taste ‘cardboard’ as some healthier versions of baking sometimes do.

So simple to make, literally throwing ingredients into a food processor and bake for 15 minutes and boom delicious biscuits at once!

Ingredients:

230g chickpeas (1 x 400g can, drained)
100g almond meal
100g brown sugar
40g coconut oil
1 tsn almond extract
1 egg
½ tsn baking powder
1/8^thtsn salt
40g desiccated coconut
80g roasted almonds
80g 70% dark chocolate, 80g extra

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
Place the drained chickpeas, sugar, oil, extract and egg into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
Dice the 80g chocolate and 80g almonds into small pieces.
Place the almond meal, baking powder, salt, coconut, diced chocolate and diced almonds into a bowl and stir until well combine.
Add the chickpea mix to the dry mix and stir until well combine.
Roll the dough mix into 20g sized balls and flatten well with the back of a fork onto the trays. Note they will not rise so you will want to flatten well.
Place the trays into the oven for 15 minutes to cook.
Allow the biscuits to set on the trays then move to a cooling rack until cooled.
Meanwhile place the remaining extra 80g chocolate into a shallow microwave proof bowl and heat in the microwave on medium, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Using a butter knife or spatula spread the melted smooth chocolate onto the bottom of the biscuit in a thin even layer.
Place biscuits chocolate side up onto the cooling tray until chocolate has set.
Enjoy!

Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

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Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake

Posted on August 25, 2018 Posted in Cakes .

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

If you follow my blog and the recipes I post ever week you will be well aware that a large amount of my recipes feature grains. Millet, quinoa, couscous, oates, wheat, corn, amaranth and rice too name a few! However I recently came across Bulgur, in which I have very limited knowledge and experience with. Not until I did some research did I realise this grain is most known for being the core ingredient in tabouli.

As soon as I experience a new grain that I’m not familiar with I cannot help myself but to start experimenting.

So unsurprisingly as soon as I brought a packet bulgur I got busy cooking the grain to understand its taste, texture and optimal cooking method. I additionally experimented with using cooked bulgur & uncooked in the batter as well as varying nuts, citric fruits, seeds, essence and powders (protein and teas).

From here I went full steam ahead coming up with recipe ideas, landing on 4 key variations.

My favourite recipe featured the flavour pairing of lemon, almond and weirdly green tea. Not only do these flavours work wonderfully together they compliment the nuttiness of the bulgur grain.

To add a variation to the cakes texture I added a smooth and creamy frosting, which very much enhances the cake, bringing it from nice and tasty to delicious and satisfying.

If your interested in making an usual cake with a range of textures that taste delicious then this cake cannot be bypassed.

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

Ingredients:

Batter:

200g bulgur, cooked
50g butter, softened
80g sugar
1 egg
½ tsn almond essence
½ tsn vanilla essence
1 + ½ tsn lemon zest
¼ tsn salt
25g matcha powder
3 green teabags
50g almond meal
25ml milk
45 self-raising flour
2 tbsn lemon juice

Frosting:

130g icing sugar
10g matcha powder
200g cream cheese
90g butter, softened
¼ tsn lemon zest

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 175c degrees and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Whisk butter and sugar together with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until creamy and pale.
Add the egg, essences, matcha powder, zest and salt to the butter mix, beat until well combine and silky.
Place 3 green tea bags into a bowl along with the milk, stir and heat in the microwave until boiling. Place aside until cooled.
Add the bulgur, almond meal, tea milk, flour and juice to the butter mix, whisk on low speed until combine.
Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Invert the cake onto a cooling rack until cooled.
Meanwhile make the frosting by placing all the frosting ingredients into a bowl and beat with electric beaters until fluffy and smooth.
Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally.
Place one cake layer on a plate, top with half the frosting.
Place the 2^ndcake layer on the frosting and top with the remaining frosting.
Decorate with green tea leaves and diced almonds if you wish.
Cut into slices and enjoy.

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

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Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

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Lavender Lemon Cupcakes with Nougat Almond Icing

Posted on November 18, 2017 Posted in Cupcakes .

Lavender Lemon Cupcakes with Nougat Almond Icing





This recipe has an interesting way of coming about. I was originally experimenting by making a chocolate layer slice with a brownie, chocolate crackle, cheesecake, honey nougat and a ganache layered slice (yes seriously). It was quite nice except was very difficulty to cut and eat. The chocolate crackle layer was too hard and did not cut well while the nougat layer didn’t have the soft but stable consistency….

I really loved the honey nougat so I decided to use this layers recipe, only this time as an icing.

Then I went through my pantry to see what ingredients I could use that would compliment this honey nougat flavour. After a little researching I decided that lavender and lemon would work perfect with my never fail cupcake recipe as the base (that also tastes magic with the honey).
Thus a moreish delicate flavored cupcake was developed.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

2 eggs
200g sugar
2 tsn ground lavender
1 tsn lemon zest
1 tsn vanilla essence
125ml vegetable oil
125ml buttermilk
200g cake flour
1 + ½ tsn baking powder
½ tsn bi carbonate of soda
¼ tsn salt

Honey Nougat:

3 egg whites
190g sugar
120g honey
60ml water
1 tsn lemon zest
½ tsn almond essence
2 tsn vanilla essence
¼ tsn salt

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 180c degrees and line an 18 cupcake tray with cupcake patties.
Using electric beaters whisk the eggs for 2 minutes.
Place 2 tsn dried lavender flowers into a pestle and mortar and grind until the lavender is to the consistency of flour.
Add the sugar, ground lavender, lemon zest and vanilla essence in the egg mix and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the vegetable oil and milk and beat until well combined.
Add the flour, powder, soda and salt and beat on a low speed until just combine.
Pour the mix into the cupcake patties and bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Set the cupcakes aside on a cooling rack until cool.
To make the icing place the egg whites into a bowl and set aside.
Place the honey, sugar and water into a saucepan on a high heat of your stove top and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Place a candy thermometer onto the saucepan and leave until the mix hits 120c degrees.
Now start beating the egg whites with electric beaters until the candy thermometer hits 135c degrees then pour the sugar syrup slowly into the egg white mix while beating on a high speed. Be sure to pour the sugar directly into the mix and not on the side of the bowl.
Continue beating for 2 minutes until the mix is thick and fluffy.
Add the lemon zest, almond essence, vanilla essence and salt and beat for 2 more minutes until the mix starts to cool.
Using a palate knife spread the icing over the top of the cooled cupcakes, enjoy!

Notes:

Store cupcakes in the fridge as you don’t want the nougat to soften and start to drop.

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Lemon Almond and Lavender Roulade

Posted on October 26, 2017 Posted in Cakes .

Lemon Almond and Lavender Roulade

For a long time now I have been playing with different flavour pairings of roulades. Thanks to my curiosity in experimenting I got hooked on continuing to play until I created a recipe I deemed blog-worthy. It may have taken about 7 attempts but I got there in the end. It took me about 3 goes to get the perfect sponge cake base that could bend seamlessly and not split as soon as it is rolled. I then also trial many flavour pairings where I went through Early Grey & Blueberry, Chestnut & Chocolate and a citrus blend to name a few…all were ok but nowhere near my expectations. It was the pairings combo of white chocolate, the multiple layers of almond flavour via almond meal & marzipan, lemon zest and lavender that created an end product of complimentary taste profiles.

Making a curd also meant that I could easily roll the roulade, handy as I struggled keeping the cream in place when using traditional filling methods.

Ingredients:

5 eggs
150g sugar
1 + ½ tbsn hot water
100g white chocolate
100g self raising flour
1 tsn ground dried lavender
2 tsn lemon zest

Curd:

2 egg yolks
2 eggs
160g marzipan
60ml lemon juice
100g butter
2 tsn ground lavender
½ tsn almond essence

Extra

30g almonds
Whipped cream or ice-cream to serve

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 175c degrees and line a 40cm x 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Separate eggs and whisk egg yolks with the sugar with electric beaters until light and cream.
Add the hot water and beat for 1 minute.
Grate the chocolate into the egg yolk mix.
Add the flour to the egg yolk mix and fold until just combine.
Using electric beaters in a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until peaks form.
Fold 1/3^rd of the egg whites into the egg yolk mix until just combine to loosen the mix.
Add the remaining egg whites and fold until just combine.
Pour mix into the tin, even the top of the mix with the back of a spoon and bake for 12 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched.
Invert the hot cooked cake onto a piece of baking paper and cut off all 4 sides of the cakes crusts.
Roll the cake with the paper up into a log shape. The paper should be on top of the cake guiding the rolling. Leave for 5 mins to cool in the rolled shape.
Following unroll the cake and reroll without the paper, leave until the cake is fully cooled.
Place the curd ingredients into a saucepan and beat with a hand whisk on a low heat until the mix is well combine and thickened. Leave side to cool.
To assemble the roulade unroll the cake.
Spread the whole cake with the curd and grate OR finely diced the almonds over the curd (whichever you prefer. I personally like the diced almonds crunch).
Place a sheet of plastic wrap onto your bench and again, on top of the plastic wrap, roll the cake into a log shape following the roll shape you created earlier.
Place the plastic wrap around the outside of the roulade to seal the cake and into the fridge for 3 hours to set.
Remove the plastic wrap and cut the roulade into thick wheel shapes. Serve with a generous serving of whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream on top of the cake with the swirl pattern facing up, enjoy!

NOTE: I melted white chocolate with a little cream to create a white chocolate ganache that I drizzled over the completed cake just prior serving for some extra decoration.

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Honey and Almond Brittle Cake

Posted on December 18, 2016 Posted in Cakes .

Honey and Almond Brittle Cake

Ok so this cake isn’t based on a ground breaking unusual flavor or texture combo, however it is a must to post as it will become your favorite cake as soon as you try it.

After eating peanut brittle I decided that I wanted to make a cake around almond brittle as a twist of the usual peanut treat.

Thinking about something that would go with almond brittle and really make the sweetness and almond flavor standout I opted for honey as a complementary flavor to include through the cake, brittle AND icing.

Ingredients:

140g butter
100g brown sugar
70ml honey
1 tsn almond essence
2 eggs, 1 yolk extra
140g self-rising flour
50g almond meal
1/2 tsn salt
65ml buttermilk

Almond brittle:

95g sugar
80ml water
130g toasted almonds

Icing:

80g butter
100g white chocolate
250g cream cheese
100g vanilla flavored yoghurt
30ml honey

Method:

Heat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, honey and essence until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating in between each addition.
In a bowl sieve the flour, almond meal and salt, stir to combine.
Add half the flour mixture to the butter mix and beat until just combined.
Add the buttermilk and beat until just combine.
Add the remaining flour mix and beating on low until just combined
Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool on a cooling rack.
To make the almond brittle chop up the almonds into small pieces.
Place a sheet of baking paper onto a tray.
Place the sugar and water into a pan and heat on high, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Place a candy thermometer into the mix and allow to heat to 125c degrees and it just starts to golden.
Add the almonds and stir to cover.
Pour onto the baking paper to set.
To make the icing, melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave until boiling. Add the white chocolate piece and stir until smooth and silky.
Add the cream cheese, yoghurt and essence into the butter mix and using electric beaters whisk until smooth and silky.
Place the set almond brittle into a food processor on low and blitz until the pieces are small.
Place ¾ of the brittle into the icing and stir to combine, place in the fridge to set.
Cut the cake into 3 even horizontal layers and place the bottom layer onto a plate.
Top the layer with 1/4 of the icing.
Add the 2nd layer and 1/4 of the icing.
Add the 3rd layer and top with icing as well as spread onto the sides of the cake.
Sprinkle with the remaining brittle on top.

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Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

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Almond Paris Brest

Posted on October 19, 2015 Posted in France .

Almond Paris Brest

You will notice every now and then I dabble in traditional global sweet treats, where Italy, France and America tend to feature more often than not.

The latest traditional treat I have explored is the Almond Paris Brest. This beautifully elegant pastry treat is a French ring-shaped pastry that is filled with cream patisserie and sprinkled with almonds (or topped with an almond paste) and icing sugar.

The delicacy was created in 1891 by a pastry cook whose patisserie was positioned along the route of the bicycle race from Paris to Brest (hence the name).

This treat is a mix between a Profiterole and a Éclair, with an almond twist.

Elegant, tasty, rich and creamy this treat is satisfaction!

Ingredients:

Choux Pastry:

125g butter
250ml water
150g flour
2 tbsn sugar
4 eggs

Almond Paste:

130g flour
90g butter
70g sugar
40g almond meal

Crème Patisserie:

750ml milk
6 egg yolks
160g sugar
55g corn flour
1 tsn vanilla essence

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 200c degrees and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Draw 14 x 5cm circles on the paper allowing for 2 cm apart.
Melt butter and water in a saucepan on medium heat on the stove. Bring to the boil.
Remove off heat and add the flour and sugar, stirring until a ball is formed.
Return to a low heat and cook for 1 minute.
Place the dough into a bowl and add the eggs one at a time, using a hand whisk, beating until the mix is smooth and glossy.
Place the pastry into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm star nozzle.
Pipe a 5cm ring around the drawn circles as a guide.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 180c degrees and bake for a further 15 minutes until puffed and slightly golden.
Cut the puffs in half horizontally and place in the oven turned off for 2 minutes to dry out.
In a bowl mix all the almond paste ingredients and once combine kneed for a minute until smooth and pliable.
Place the paste in between 2 sheets of paper and using a rolling pin flatten to 3mm thick.
Cut 5cm rounds out of the paste (I used a 5cm cookie cutter) and place the circles on top of the pastry rings.
Place the rings on the top half of all the pastries and place back in the oven for 8 minutes or until golden, leave aside to cool.
To make the crème patisserie, place the milk into a saucepan on high heat and heat until boiling.
In another bowl add remaining ingredients and whisk with a hand whisk until the egg mix is well combine.
Still whisking, pour the boiling milk into the egg mix until well combine.
Place the mix back on the heat in the saucepan on low heat until boiling and thickened. Set aside to cool.
Once the crème patisseries has cooled place in a piping bag and pipe the mix on all the remaining pastries halves (that do not have the paste).
Once the mix is used up place the pastry top with the almond mix almont side up on the crème.
Dust with icing sugar and serve.

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Coffee Almond and Marsala Cake

Posted on October 12, 2015 Posted in Cakes .

Coffee Almond and Marsala Cake

I am a massive massive fan of Tiramisu. In fact my mum’s Tiramisu is the best dessert I have ever tasted in my life.

I do like the taste of coffee, however I think it is the mix of coffee and the Marsala that together make the most amazing flavour. Considering I have a big sweet tooth and this is actually not the most sweetest of desserts out there the flavour combo must be brilliant (which of cause the Italian’s have known for centuries).

To take this to the next level and turn it into a sweet treat that’s a little more friendly to eat (let’s face it Tiramisu is not the easiest dessert to plate up and eat without a bowl), I have created a cake with the flavour combo and added in a few complementary additions.

So keeping with the alcoholic trend of this dessert and amplifying the flavour (and inevitability alcohol) I have added in the not so traditional inclusions of Kahlua for extra coffee flavour and Amaretto for an almond flavour (which works like magic with coffee and Marsala).

Coffee Almond and Marsala Cake recipe

Ingredients:

30g coffee beans
5 eggs
175g sugar
110ml Marsala
1 + 1/2 tbsn Kahlua
1 tbsn Amaretto
75g butter
115g almond meal
115g flour

Topping:

200g thickened cream
20g icing sugar
2 tsn Kahlua
1 tsn Amaretto
100g mascapone cheese

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 160c degrees and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Place the coffee beans on a tray and roast in the oven for 5 minutes until you smell the beans aroma. Place aside.
Place the beans in a food processor and blitz until fine.
Beat the egg yolks and 120g sugar in a bowl with electric beaters until thick and pale.
Stir in the coffee, Marsala, melted butter and almond meal to the yolk mix until smooth.
In another bowl beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar.
Fold the egg whites, Kahlua and Amaretto into the almond mix until just combine.
Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Leave the cake for 5 minutes then place on a cooling rack.
Place the cream and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric beaters until peaks form.
Beat the mascapone cheese until smooth add the Kahlua and Amaretto and beat until combine.
Carefully fold in the mascapone cheese into the whipped cream mixture.
Cut the cake in 3 horizontally, spread 1/3rd of the cream mix in between the 2 layers and the remaining on the top of the cake.

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Marzipan Pear Chocolate and Almond Cake

Posted on October 5, 2015 Posted in Cakes .

Marzipan Pear Chocolate and Almond Cake

I have never previously baked successfully with marzipan but absolutely love the flavour. Now this ingredient is one that you either love or hate. Its weird as I love the taste of marzipan and almond essence, but find plain almonds bland and boring in taste.

Marzipan and Almond clearly makes sense (as Marzipan is made from almonds). When thinking of a flavour combo I automatically through almonds and chocolate. On top of this, I was still to make up and post a pear recipe that I am actually really happy with, and chocolate and pear are a great flavour marriage.

Therefore I experimented with these 4 ingredients and just like I had expected they all work in harmony together.

A very different but satisfying, moreish cake indeed.

Ingredients:

250g butter
250g marzipan
150g sugar
½ tsn almond essence
6 eggs
450g pear
120g dark chocolate
150g self raising flour
120g almond meal
½ tsn ground cinnamon
½ tsn ground ginger
½ tsn ground cloves

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170c degrees and line a 30cm cake tin with baking paper.
Using electric beaters whisk the butter, marzipan and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the almond essence and beat.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between each addition.
Place the flour, almond meal, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in bowl and stir until mixed.
Dice up the pear into small pieces.
Cut up the chocolate into small pieces.
Fold the pear and chocolate through the batter.
Fold the flour mix into the batter until just combined.
Pour the mix into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Leave in the tin for 5 minutes then place on a cooling tray until cold.

Notes:

I decorated with extra pear slices and and shaved chocolate.

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Rice and Almond Tart

Posted on April 29, 2014 Posted in Tarts .

Rice and Almond Tart

If you are a fan of almonds and want to try a recipe with a very interesting and unique texture then this tart is for you.

I’m not really a big rice eater nor almond, however incorporating rice in a tart seemed interesting and got me wanting to experiment.

This tart is not super sweet but goes very well with a dollop of cream or ice-cream on the side for a filling sweet treat.

Ingredients:

2 cups of rice milk
½ cup white sugar
1 tsn cinnamon
½ cup medium grain rice
2 eggs
½ cup almond meal
½ tsn almond essence
1 tbsn lime rind finally grated
1 x 28cm sweet short crust pastry shell or store brought sweet crust pastry.

Method:

If using store brought pastry, roll out on a lightly floured surface and transfer pastry into a lightly greased 25cm loose-bottomed tart pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. If you are using a bought tart shell omit this step.
Preheat the oven to 200c.
Line the pan with baking paper and fill with rice (this is called blind baking which stops the center of the pastry in the tart rising).
Bake for 15 minutes, remove paper and rice and cook for a further 5 minutes until ever so slightly browned.
Place milk, sugar and cinnamon in a pan and stir over the stove on low until the sugar is dissolved. Boil, add the rice then simmer covered, stirring every 5 minutes for 25 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Cool.
Blend the rice with a mixer/food processor until smooth.
Mix the rice mix, eggs, almond meal, almond essence and rind in a bowl.
Pour into the pastry shell and cook on 180c in the oven for 20 minutes until golden.

Notes:

This can be served with cream or ice-cream.

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