Almond-Apricot cakelets

Adapted from Le Pain Quotidien.

• • 5oz ground almonds 

  • 5oz sugar

  • 5oz butter (chilled), cut into cubes

  • 1/8 tsp salt (heavy pinch)

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 2oz flour

  • 2 eggs

  • peel and juice of half a lemon

  • Apricots (dried, fresh or canned)

Notes on ingredients:

The almonds should be fine-ground, almost the texture of flour. If they're coarser (eg Trader Joes), run them in a food processor until finer.

Method:

• 1. Add the almonds, sugar, butter, salt, flour, vanilla, lemon peel to the bowl of a standing mixer.

  2. Blend for 1 minute using paddle attachment.

  3. Add eggs and lemon juice.

  4. Blend for 30s

  5. Refrigerate this almond cream mixture for 30 minutes.

  6. Preheat the oven to 375.

  7. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.

  8. Fill each cup 2/3 full with almond cream, and semi-submerge 3 whole dried apricots or 3 half fresh/canned apricots into each.

  9. Dust with icing sugar

  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes.