Strawberry Almond Tarts

ALMOND FILLING
1/2 lb Almond paste
1/3 c Sugar
1 Egg yolk
1 ts Grated lemon zest
1/2 Stick soft butter
2 Eggs
1/4 c All-purpose flour

-STRAWBERRY FILLING-
1 pt Strawberries; rinsed, hulled
-and
; sliced
1/2 c Sliced almonds
1 Whole berries and
-confectioners’ sugar for
; finishing

For the dough, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle on medium speed
until very soft and light. Beat in the vanilla and the yolk and continue
beating until smooth and shiny, about 3 more minutes. Stop the mixer, sift
the cake flour and add to the butter mixture. Pulse the mixer on and off to
incorporate the flour. Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic, wrap and
chill it until firm.

For the almond filling, combine almond paste, sugar, yolk and zest and beat
by machine until smooth. Beat in butter, scrape bowl and beaters and beat
in eggs. Continue beating until light.

Stir in flour. Divide the dough into 4 parts and roll one piece at a time
on a floured surface. Use each piece of dough to line a 3 to 4 inch
diameter tart pan. Mass the scraps together after rolling the dough for the
first four pans and line the last two.

Arrange the sliced berries evenly on the crust in each pan, then top with
the almond filling, spreading it evenly with a metal spatula. Strew evenly
with the sliced almonds.

Bake the tarts at 350 degrees about 25 minutes, until dough is baked
through and filling is set.

Cool in pan, unmold and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Decorate each tart
with a few whole berries.