A beautiful traditional Maltese Dessert made with a sweet pastry crust, filled with a mixture of ground almonds, chocolate, orange, sponge, sweet spices and coated with dark melted chocolate
Ingredients:
Sweet Pastry
300g/10.5oz Plain Flour
150g/5.3oz Salted Butter
2 Tbls Icing Sugar
Zest of 1/2 Orange and Lemon
2 Egg Yolks, lightly beaten
4 to 5 Tbls Cold Water or more if needed
Filling:
200g/7oz Ground Almonds
100g/3.5oz Crumbled Sponge
100g3.5oz Caster Sugar
1 Tsp Mixed Spice
25g/0.9oz Cocoa Powder
2 Tbls Marmalade (plus extra to brush on the pastry)
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
Zest and Juice of an Orange
Decoration:
150g/3.5oz Dark Chocolate
Roasted Almond Flakes
Method:
Sweet Pastry
Sift flour and icing sugar.
Add in butter and mix until it resembles bread crumbs.
Stir in orange and lemon zest. Add the egg yolks, vanilla essence and water. Mix until the dough comes together (add more water if needed).
Wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
When ready roll out pastry and place into a butter greased 28cm springform tart pan or pie dish. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before adding the filling.
Filling:
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together and finally add the wet ingredients. Mix until well combined.
To make the pie:
Brush the base of the pastry with extra marmalade and then fill with the almond mixture.
Smooth the surface and bake in oven 180C/350F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
Decorate with melted chocolate and roasted almond flakes.
Enjoy!
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