Preheat the oven to gas 5 / 190C / 375°F and line & grease a 9" pie tin or loose bottomed cake tin
Roll out the pastry and place it into the pie dish, moulding it to the bottom and sides
https://cookpad.com/us/recipes/332957-vickys-sweet-savoury-shortcrust-pastry-gf-df-ef-sf-nf
Trim the edge and prick the bottom with a fork to prevent air bubbles forming
Bake blind for 10 minutes then set aside to firm up while you make up the cake mix
Add the wet ingredients listed in my box mix recipe to the dry mix but add almond extract instead of vanilla (use vanilla if you want to!). Mix well until the batter is smooth and set aside
https://cookpad.com/us/recipes/365564-vickys-homemade-box-cake-mix-gluten-dairy-egg-soy-free
Spread the jam onto the pastry base with the back of the spoon. This will seal it and prevent the cake mix making it soggy as well as tasting delicious!
Pour the cake batter over and if using flaked almonds to decorate, add these on top now
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the sponge is golden and firm. You can test with a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out of the cake with no crumbs attached the tart is done
Remove from the tin and let cool on a wire rack
When fully cooled, dust with icing sugar and add a cherry on top
You can make individual tarts in a muffin tin. Grease the tin and using a cookie cutter, cut rounds of pastry large enough to line each hole.
Put a tsp of jam in the base of each then divide the cake mix evenly between each
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes
If you use vanilla instead of almond extract and use the pastry overs to make a knot shape and place it on top of the cake batter before going into the oven, the tarts become Welsh Cheesecakes!
