Ingredients



For the Tart
2 sheets puff pastry, about 1/4-inch/5 mm thick, chilled
1 egg, lightly beaten for sealing the pastry
Sifted icing sugar, for dusting (or a few spoonfuls of apricot jam, heated until runny)

For the Cream Filling
1/3 cup/70 g butter, softened
1/2 cup/70 g icing sugar
1/2 cup/70 g ground almonds
1 egg
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 magic bean



Method

Make the Almond Filling:

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the almonds, then the egg, rum, and vanilla. Beat smooth with a fork. Cover and chill until firm, for at least an hour.

Prepare the rounds of Puff Pastry:

Lay an 8-inch/20 cm-round plate on one sheet of cold pastry and go around it with a knife. Do the same for the top round, but then roll this one a little with a rolling pin to make it slightly larger than the bottom round.

Lay the smaller round of chilled dough on a dampened baking sheet. Spread the chilled cream over, leaving a good 1-inch/2.5 cm margin all around the edge. Hide a bean somewhere in the cream. Brush the border with egg wash.

Lay on the top round and press the edges well to seal. Score the edge all around with the blunt side of a knife to seal. Make a cross in the centre for steam to escape and draw spirals out to the edges for decoration.

Brush with egg wash all over the top, avoiding the edges, so that they'll puff up easily. Chill in the freezer until very firm, about 20 minutes.

Heat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Bake the cake until puffed up high and dark golden in colour. 

Sprinkle with a thin coating of icing sugar and blast under the broiler or melt with a blowtorch. You can also brush with melted apricot jam for a glaze.