I have made a full sized Bakewell Tart before, and posted it on the blog. Today I decided to make some Cherry Bakewells. These are a common fixture in the supermarkets in the UK, and I wanted to try my hand at them. But I thought I would ring the changes a little too and make some normal Bakewells as well. So the recipe below tells you how to do both types. The only real difference being the amount of almond mixture in each one, and the addtional icing and half a glace cherry on top.
I was undecided whether to use a bun tin or a muffin pan for these, but opted for the muffin pan. But I didn’t want the pastry all the way up the sides since than would make them larger than I needed.
I also wanted to ensure that I was able to use all the pastry, so I created half as much almond batter than is shown in the recipe. This was so that I could make a triple sized Cherry Bakewell, using the off cuts of the pastry. That one will be for me, no sharing.
They have turned out very well, and taste even better than the ones in the supermarkets. Maybe cause the pastry is more buttery, or because I used more jam. Whatever it is they really do taste great.
The recipe below will make 12 Cherry Bakewells quite easily. If you want to re-roll the off cut pastry and use it to make more you will need to increase the amount of almond batter that you make, maybe by about 50%.
If you want to try the normal Bakewells (without the icing and cherry) you need slightly more batter.
Ingredients:
FOR THE PASTRY:
- 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 130g butter, cut into cubes and chilled
- 1 egg yolk
FOR THE FILLING:
- 50g butter, softened
- 50g caster sugar
- 50g ground almonds
- ½ large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 6 tsp raspberry jam
- 175g icing sugar
- 6 glace cherries, halved
To make the pastry place the flour and icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse in 5-10 second intervals until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and there are no large lumps of butter.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead very briefly until it just comes together. Shape into a flattish disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180c Fan, gas mark 6.
Meanwhile, make the filling.
Spread about ½ tsp raspberry jam in the base of each pastry case, then spoon in the almond filling so it comes about half way up the sides. (For normal Bakewells fill to about two thirds full, and sprinkle a few sliced almonds on top.)
Lower the oven to 180C/160c Fan, gas mark 4.
Mix the icing sugar with about 2 tbsp water until you have a thick white paste. Spoon on top of the tart cases and top each with half a glacé cherry.