Nut cluster tarts

Method

1. Rub the butter into the flour until it looks like rough breadcrumbs, do not over mix as you do not want the butter to soften.

2. Stir the sugar into the egg, mix it lightly and add to the flour with a fork. Bring together with your hands then rest the pastry for an hour in the fridge or overnight if you wish.

3. Beat the butter and sugar for filling until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the syrups and then the eggs. Stir in the nutmeg, ground almonds and the chopped nuts. Set aside.

4. Roll the pastry to about 3 mm in thickness and cut out 12 circles to the size that neatly fits into your bun tin. Place these into the fridge for about 20 minutes. You will probably have some extra pastry you can make a few extra tarts or put it in the freezer for another day.

5. Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease and flour a 12-hole bun tin. For a larger tart, I would generally bake the pastry 'blind' (without the filling initially) but as it is a small amount it should crisp up in the one bake.

6. Gently lay the pastry discs into the prepared tin. Spoon the nut mixture into each disc and place some of the pecans on top. When they are all done. Bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry is golden. Allow to cool in the tin until cool enough to very gently remove onto a wire rack. The filling may be wobbly until it is cold so this will need to be done gently.