Apricot Almond Shortcake

75g / 3 oz butter or margarine, plus more for greasing
175g / 6 oz self-raising flour, plus more for dusting
50g / 2 oz caster sugar
1 egg, plus 1 extra yolk

For the filling:
50g / 2 oz ground almonds
50g / 2 oz plus 2 tbsp caster sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
white of 1 egg
400g can of apricot halves in their juice
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 190ºC / fan oven 170ºC / gas mark 5 and grease a 20cm / 8 in flan pan or pie plate. Put the flour and sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter or margarine until the mix has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.

Make a well in the centre and mix in the whole egg and the extra yolk to make a soft dough. Using lightly floured hands, press out the dough into the prepared flan pan or pie plate.

Make the filling: mix together the almonds, 50g / 2 oz of the sugar, the orange zest and egg white. Spread evenly over the shortcake. Drain the apricots, reserving the juice, then arrange the apricots on the filling. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Place the orange and apricot juices in a pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and boil rapidly until reduced by half. Brush over the warm shortcake and dust with a little icing sugar.

Serve warm, with the remaining syrup if you like.