Spiced prune and marmalade frangipane tart

To begin, make the pastry. Cream together the butter and sugar very lightly – do not overmix, or you will add too much air to the pastry

Gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl so that all the ingredients are uniformly mixed

Add the flour and salt and mix until you have a combined dough. Flatten out slightly then rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes

Scatter a light dusting of flour on your work surface, remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out to a thickness of 3–4mm, rotating regularly to ensure the pastry does not shrink in an uneven fashion

Trim the pastry into a disc slightly larger than the tart tin, taking care not to over-trim which requires tricky patching up. This will make it easier to line the case and minimise the risk of tearing

Spray a non-stick 22cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin with baking spray, then very lightly dust with an even layer of flour

Pick up the pastry (using a rolling pin if the pastry is a bit delicate) and drape over the tart tin. Gently mould the pastry into the tin

Roll some of the pastry trimmings into a ball and use to gently press around the edges of the tart base for a nice even finish. Make sure the pastry is flush against the case all the way around

Run a knife around the edge of the tart tin to cut away any excess pastry. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill

Preheat oven to 210°C/gas mark 7

To make the frangipane filling, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add the egg, a little at a time, beating between additions. Ensure the eggs are at room temperature before you add them, otherwise the mixture is at risk of splitting

Once smooth, add the spices, flour and ground almonds

Fold in the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and resembles the consistency of thick mashed potato, rotating the bowl as you mix. Transfer to a piping bag

Now assemble the tart. Spread the marmalade over the base of the tart case, not going right to the edges as the sugar will boil and melt as it cooks, which risks leaking out of the side of the tart case. Chop the soaked prunes and dot over the top. Roughly chop the pitted prunes and sprinkle half over the marmalade, saving the rest for the top of the tart

Starting in the centre and working outwards, pipe the frangipane in a spiral to cover the base of the tart. Use a little more mixture to fill in any gaps

Scatter a few more prunes evenly over the surface of the tart

Using a spatula moistened with hot water, carefully smooth the surface of the frangipane

Bake for 10 minutes to firm up the pastry, then reduce the temperature to 175°C/gas mark 4 and cook until the frangipane is dark golden on top, for around 25 minutes

Meanwhile, make the glaze by placing the prune juice and marmalade in a small saucepan. Gently melt the two together and reduce slightly until thick enough to coat a pastry brush. Set aside

Remove the tart from the oven and lightly brush the tart with the glaze until you have a beautifully shiny, even layer. Keep the remaining glaze to one side

Remove the tart from the tin. Slide two palette knives at angles under the tart and carefully lift onto your serving board. Cut into slices and serve with a little extra glaze drizzled around the plate alongside a hearty dollop of crème fraîche