Cupcake or Pie

There is a lot of talk on the web about Cupcakes being a dying fad. What are they on about. I don't really care about fads and trends. I do care about food, passionately, obsessively nearly hysterically at times (don't get me started about margarine I can get really hysterical about the yellow poison).
Anyway back to cupcakes or pie. That would be like trying to choose between cream and ice cream. Both should be able to co-exist or as CakeSpy recomends put them together.
Maids of Honour meets the criteria and there are heaps of recipes on the web. This is an easy recipe that is nut free. So it could also be called a Bakewell Tart. Traditionally the English Maid of Honour has nuts usually almonds in it and that is delicous. So forget about one or the other and have one or the other or both together. Oh and put cream and ice cream on top.

This recipe is from Celtnet Recipes

How to Make: Maids of Honour

These dainty, melt in the mouth tarts are named after the ladies in waiting (attendants) of Elizabeth 1st. The origins of these biscuits are very old indeed, though the form presented here is the modern version.
Ingredients:

125g plain flour
2 tsp caster sugar
60g butter
up to 4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp butter, softened
150g caster sugar
2 tsp plain flour
generous pinch of freshly-grated nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp cream sherry
130g ground almonds
40g fruit preserves (traditionally strawberry or raspberry, but any flavour will do)

Celtnet recipes chicken recipe divider

Maids of Honour Preparation:

Method:

Add 125g flour and the caster sugar to a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture comes together as coarse breadcrumbs. Add just enough of the milk so that the dough comes together as a ball. Transfer to a floured surface and knead until elastic then roll out to 3mm thick.

Using a pastry cutter cut into 6cm circles. Press these into the base of lightly-buttered tart tin cups and set aside.

Meanwhile, cream together the remaining butter and the sugar along with the flour. Beat in the eggs and sherry then add the ground almonds. Stir to combine then place 1/4 tsp of the jam or preserve in the base of the pastry in the tart tins. Cover with 1 tbsp of the almond mixture then place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are just golden brown.

Allow to cool before removing from the tart tin wells then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The photo is from All Recipes.