Loquat and lemon frangipane tart

• By Claire Borg

For 8 people, you will need:

For the pastry: 225g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting, 110g of butter, 110g of caster sugar, the yolks of three eggs. For the frangipane: 125g of butter (softened), 125g of caster sugar, two eggs, 125g of ground almonds, the finely grated zest of one lemon, one tablespoonful of plain flour. You will also need: about 40 loquats (washed, cut in half and de-seeded – in a bowl with half a lemon squeezed over them).

To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix them well. Cut the butter into cubes and using your fingertips, rub it in until you have the texture of breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, put the egg yolks into this, and begin mixing them together. Knead lightly until you have smooth dough. You might need to add a teaspoonful of cold milk if the dough is too dry. Wrap it in cling-film and chill it for at least 30 minutes.

To make the frangipane filling, cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. Add the zest, then gradually beat in the eggs one at a time. Now fold in the ground almonds and flour until all is combined. Chill this until you need it.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, until it is the right size and thickness for lining a large tart-tin. Trim off any excess. Spread the frangipane evenly over the pastry case. Arrange the loquats in concentric circles over this, pressing them down slightly into the frangipane. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3 and bake the tart until the pastry is golden and the filling is set. Remove it from the oven but leave it to cool slightly in the tin before lifting it out carefully and placing it on a wire rack to let off steam. Serve it warm with ice cream. You can refrigerate it (covered) for up to five days.