Method

Make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar, when smooth add the egg. This will form a wet lumpy paste.

Sieve the flour and work gently into the mixture. This left me with a very soft, sticky dough. I think I will add more flour, not sure how much yet.

Wrap in cling film, and refrigerate.

Butter a 24-26cm tart ring or tart tin. Refrigerate.

Prepare the almond cream.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and alcohol if using.

Fold in the ground almonds and flour.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

When the pastry is manageable, roll out and line the tin or ring. The pastry is very soft so will probably break,but just patch it up.

Spread the almond cream over the surface evenly.

Prepare the apples by peeling, cut in half, scoop out the core and roll in lemon juice.

Place on top of the almond cream and bake for 20 mins

Scatter the pine nuts over the tart, reduce the oven temperature to 180C and bake a further 25 mins.

Just before the end, sprinkle the surface with icing sugar and return to the oven..

Once cooked, leave to cool and remove from tin or ring.