Linzer Torte with Spiced Melting Moment Topping

How to make Linzer Torte with Spiced Melting Moment Topping Recipe - This classic Austrian torte is famous worldwide for its delicate almond-based pastry fragrantly spiced with cinnamon and cloves, and jam filling that provides a light, fruity richness. Ensure you use a high-quality jam, abundant with fruit. I’ve added a melting moment piped biscuit toppings pure genius! Serve chilled with rich cream or vanilla bean ice cream.

MAKES A 33CM × 9CM TART, SERVING 6–8 PEOPLE

PASTRY:
½ quantity of Linzer Pastry

FILLING:
400g good-quality raspberry, blackcurrant or redcurrant jam

TOPPING:
30g flaked almonds
40g icing sugar
125g butter, softened
2 drops vanilla extract
125g standard plain flour
15g cornflour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:
Make Linzer Pastry ahead and rest it as required. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 3–4mm thick. Carefully roll it up on the rolling pin and unroll it into a 33cm × 9cm tart tin. Take care as the pastry will be rather soft. Carefully press pastry into the corners of the tart tin and patch any holes. Trim edges using a sharp knife to ensure they are smooth and even.

Stir jam until it is lump-free and spread evenly into the pastry base.

Crumble some flaked almonds between your fingertips until you have smaller pieces to sprinkle around the edge of the tart, then set aside.

To make topping, place icing sugar, butter and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl. Using an electric beater, beat until the mixture is very soft and fluffy. It is important that the mixture is well creamed and soft, otherwise it will be hard to pipe.

Sift flour, cornflour and cinnamon together and add to creamed mixture. Beat together until dry ingredients are well mixed, but do not over-mix. Place mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small star tube, and pipe over the jam filling diagonally one way then the other to create a trellis pattern. Sprinkle crushed almond flakes around the edge of the tart.

Pipe small shapes of leftover mixture onto a baking paper-lined oven tray and bake in a preheated 170°C oven for 10–12 minutes to make petit four biscuits to serve with coffee or tea.

Bake tart in a preheated 180°C oven for 30–35 minutes or until golden-brown in colour. Take care as the base pastry will bake fast due to the high amount of butter and oil (from the almonds).

Linzer Torte with Spiced Melting Moment Topping