Ingredients:
For the base:
· 180 g almonds, ground
· 30 g (1/4 cup) brown rice flour
· 15 g (2 tablespoons) ground flax
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/3 teaspoon coarse salt
· 125 g (1/2 cup) almond butter
· 90 ml (6 tablespoons) agave syrup
· 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For the chia cherry jam:
· 450 g cherries (fresh or thawed - pitted and roughly chopped)
· 4-5 tablespoons agave syrup
· 2 tablespoons chia seeds
· 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Preparation:
Base - preheat oven to 180 °C and line a square pan with baking paper (in two directions for easier removal). In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: almond flour, rice flour, flax, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients: almond butter, agave syrup and almond extract.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well with your hands until they come together into a dough. The dough will be sticky – this is normal. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the dough for sprinkling later. Press the remaining dough into the prepared pan and prick with a fork 8–10 times. Bake for 8 minutes at 180 °C, then remove and set aside.
To make chia jam - combine cherries and agave syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in chia seeds and cook for another 5 minutes, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add almond extract.
Assembling and baking - pour the jam over the half-baked base and level it. Crumble the remaining dough over the top. Bake for another 12–13 minutes at 180 °C until golden brown. Cool in the tin on a wire rack for at least 30–45 minutes before cutting.