Dates and Almond Tart

Ingredients
Maida - 2 cups
Butter - 1/2 cup
Egg - 1

For Filling
Butter (unsalted) - 1/2 cup
Castor sugar - 7 tbsp
Egg (beaten) - 1
Ground Almonds - 1 cup
Flour - 2 tbsp
Orange essence - 1 tsp
Plum sauce or jam - 4 tbsp
Dates halved and stoned - 6 to 8
Dried apricots - 6 to 8

Method
Sift together the flour and icing sugar and mix in the butter working with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and 1 tbsp of water and work to a rim dough that leaves the bowl clean. Use this dough to roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use roll out to fit a baking dish which you will use for the pie. The pastry should be larger tahn the pie dish, so that it covers the sides completely. Prick the base with a fork and then chill until needed.

To prepare for filling
Cream together the butter and castor sugar until light. Beat in the egg. Stir in the ground almonds, flour, essence and mix well. Spread this mixture evenly over the base of the pastry case. Arrange the dates and apricots, cut side down on the almond mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Then reduce the heat and bake further for another 15-20 minutes until light golden and set. Tranfer the tart to a rack to cool. Gently heat the plum sauce jam then press through a sieve. Brush the tart with the sauce and serve at room temperature.