Air Fryer Recipe
Raspberry Almond Tartlets
Indulge in the delightful combination of sweet raspberries and nutty almonds with this irresistible tartlet recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 200g plain flour
- 100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
- 50g ground almonds
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2-3 tablespoons cold water
- 150g fresh raspberries
- 2 tablespoons raspberry jam
- 50g almond flakes
- Icing sugar, to dust
Method
- Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the chilled, diced butter. Rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the ground almonds and 50g of caster sugar.
- Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of cold water to the dry ingredients. Combine until the mixture forms a dough, adding more water if necessary. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 5mm thick. Cut circles to fit air fryer ramekins or tartlet tins. Line each with the dough, trimming excess.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Spread raspberry jam in each tartlet, arrange raspberries on top, and sprinkle with almond flakes.
- Place tartlets in the air fryer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
The air fryer’s fast convection dries and browns the almond-rich pastry before the raspberry juices soak it. Chilled butter creates small steam pockets for a short, crumbly texture, while minimal water limits gluten development. Jam acts as a barrier and concentrates flavour as the fruit softens.
Equipment notes
Assumes 4 small tartlets in 8-10cm metal tins or ramekins in a 5-6 litre basket with space around each for airflow. In a single-drawer model, cook in batches rather than crowding; in dual-zone machines, use the hotter, less crowded drawer and check 2 minutes early as smaller zones brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Soggy, pale bases after 15 minutes? The tins are too deep or ceramic ramekins are insulating the pastry; use shallow metal tins or add 3-5 minutes at 170°C to finish the base without scorching the almonds.
- Pastry shrinking down the sides? It was stretched while lining or not chilled enough; press it in gently, trim after lining, and chill the filled tins for 10 minutes before air frying.
- Almond flakes dark brown while the pastry is still blonde? The top heat is too aggressive; lower to 165-170°C and loosely cover the tartlets with perforated foil for the last few minutes.
- Raspberry filling bubbling over? The berries are very juicy or the jam layer is too thick; use fewer raspberries per tartlet and keep the jam to a thin smear so steam can escape.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap raspberries for sliced strawberries or blackberries; larger or wetter fruit may need 2-3 extra minutes and should be kept in a single layer.
- Use apricot jam instead of raspberry jam for a sharper glaze; it browns slightly faster because of its sugar content, so check the tops early.
- Replace almond flakes with chopped pistachios; they toast quickly, so add them halfway through if your air fryer has a strong top element.
- Make the pastry with half plain flour and half wholemeal flour; it will be more fragile and thirstier, so add water cautiously until it just comes together.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled tartlets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 3-4 minutes to re-crisp the pastry.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
