While looking for some Easter themed baking inspiration I came across a recipe on the BBC Good Food website for a Simnel Cherry Tart.  Simnel Cake is a traditional Easter cake; a light fruit cake topped with toasted marzipan, it’s something that I have never made, basically because its a big cake for two people! So when I spotted this tart recipe I thought it would be a good alternative and could be used as a dessert on Easter Sunday.

Simnel Cherry Tart (From BBC Good Food Website)

Ingredients

75g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
375g Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (homemade or shop bought)
140g butter, softened
140g golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
75g ground almonds
175g mixed dried fruit
50g glacé cherries, halved
zest and juice 1 orange
1 tsp. mixed spice
1 tsp. cinnamon
6 tbsp. cherry jam
350g marzipan, ½ cut into small cubes, ½ rolled into 12 balls (to represent the 11  Apostles and Jesus)
50g icing sugar, to decorate
25g flaked toasted almonds

Method

• On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin.
• Lift the pastry over your rolling pin and use to line a 22cm round fluted tart tin (you can also use a rectangular tin)
• Chill for at least 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line your pastry case with baking parchment, then fill with baking beans.
• Blind-bake for 15 mins, remove the beans and parchment, and bake for a further 10 mins until the pastry is pale golden and biscuity. Leave to cool.
• Reduce oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3.
• In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition.
• Stir in the flour, almonds, dried fruit, cherries, half the orange zest, and the spices.
• Spread the jam over the base of the tart case, then dot the cubes of marzipan over the top.
• Pour over the cake mixture and smooth with a spatula.
• Bake for 35 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool in the tin.
• If you want to brown the tops of your marzipan balls, heat the grill to medium. Put the marzipan balls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and place under the grill for 1-2 mins until golden – make sure you keep an eye on them, as they will burn easily. Let cool.
• To make the icing, mix the icing sugar with enough orange juice to make a thick, smooth icing.
• Drizzle the icing over the tart, top with the toasted marzipan balls, flaked almonds and the remaining orange zest.