SPECULAAS TART WITH ALMOND FILLING

Steps:

• For filling:.
• Blend first 8 ingredients in processor until nuts are finely chopped.
• Transfer to small bowl.
• Cover; chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• For dough:.
• Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended; beat in egg.
• Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form.
• Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten dough into disks; wrap and chill at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled. Soften slightly before rolling.).
• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan.
• Roll out larger dough piece on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to pan and press gently over bottom and up sides, pressing any tears together.
• Spread filling in dough.
• Trim dough on sides to 1/2 inch above level of filling.
• Fold dough in over filling.
• Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12- to 13-inch round.
• Using bottom of cake pan as aid, cut out 9-inch-diameter round of dough. Slide dough round onto plate and freeze 5 minutes to firm. (Reserve dough scraps for cookies.)
• Place chilled dough round on tart; press to adhere and seal edges.
• Bake tart until crust is brown, about 50 minutes.
• Remove sides of springform pan; cool tart completely on pan bottom. Maintain oven temperature.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out dough scraps on lightly floured surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness.
• Using 2-inch gingerbread-man cutter, cut out cookies.
• Transfer cutouts to prepared sheets. Repeat, using all of dough.
• Bake cookies until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets. (Tart and cookies can be made ahead; cover and store at room temperature 1 day or refrigerate up to 3 days.).
• Sift powdered sugar over top of tart.
• Place small dab of preserves on back of 1 cookie; place at top edge of tart; repeat with more cookies, forming border around tart.
• Transfer tart to platter.
• Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour.