A buttery almond crust spread with rich almond paste and jam, topped with a light layer of puff pastry and glazed with flavorful icing — wow! This confection will remind you of a fine European pastry but surprisingly enough, it's fairly simple to put together.
To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine all of the crust ingredients until homogeneous. Pat into a 9" to 10" quiche pan or pie pan (at least 1 1/4" deep), pressing the dough up the sides of the pan.
Bake for 6 minutes, to set the crust. Remove from the oven, but leave the oven on.
To make the filling: Pat or roll the marzipan into an 8" circle and place in the crust.
Mix the jam with the flour and spread over the marzipan.
To make the top: In a large saucepan, bring the water and butter to a rolling boil.
Add the flour and salt all at once, stirring vigorously until the mixture comes together in a ball.
Place in a mixing bowl and add the extract; beat for several minutes to cool slightly.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Spread the sticky mixture over the jam, being sure to reach the edges of the pan; or pipe it with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
Bake the puff in the preheated 425°F oven for 30 minutes.
Reduce the oven heat to 350°F, and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown all over.
Remove from the oven and let cool; the top will collapse somewhat.
To make the icing: Mix the sugar with the cream and extract.
Drizzle the icing over the tart, then sprinkle with the toasted almonds.
Store, well covered, for 3 days at room temperature. Freeze for up to 3 months.
If you don't have marzipan or almond filling on hand and don't want to purchase any, here's how to make your own: Combine 1 cup (86g) almond flour and 3/4 cup (85g) confectioners' sugar in a food processor or blender, processing briefly just to combine. Add a pinch of salt (about 1/16 teaspoon), 3/4 teaspoon almond extract (more or less to taste), and 1/2 of a large egg white (15g); if you whisk the egg white until foamy, it's easier to divide. Process until the mixture comes together and forms a malleable ball. This amount of almond paste is more than you need for the recipe, but feel free to freeze the remainder — or simply make the topping for this pastry thicker.
