Fern Cakes
 
Makes 12
Ingredients
  • Shortcrust Dough (recipe follows)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup blanched almond flour
  • ¼ cup strawberry jam
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons water
  • Moss green food coloring
Instructions
  1. On a lightly floured surface, divide Shortcrust Dough into 12 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Gently press a dough ball into the bottom and up the sides of each of 12 (2½-inch) fluted tartlet pans, making sure bottom and sides are approximately ⅛ inch thick and trimming any excess. Place tartlet pans on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, approximately 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  3. In a medium bowl and using a small rubber spatula, stir together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in egg, almond extract, and salt until combined. Stir in almond flour.
  4. Into each cold prepared tartlet pan, place 1 teaspoon strawberry jam. Divide almond mixture among tartlet pans, approximately 1 tablespoon each. Using a knife or a small spatula, spread almond mixture in a smooth layer to cover jam layer.
  5. Bake tartlets until crusts are golden and filling is golden and set, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely in pans.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon water until smooth, adding up to an additional 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is thick but fluid.
  7. In a separate small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons glaze and enough green food coloring to achieve desired green hue.
  8. Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon plain glaze onto each tartlet, spreading gently to cover filling completely.
  9. Transfer green glaze to a piping bag. Cut a ⅛-inch opening in tip of piping bag. Referring to step-by-step photographs and working with one tartlet at a time, pipe green glaze in a graduated zigzag pattern, making one end thinner than the other. Starting at tapered end, drag a wooden pick through the glaze to create the fern design. Place tartlets in an airtight container, refrigerate, and serve within 3 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/fern-cakes/