Bakewell Tart – A Perfect Dessert

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A traditional British dessert, hailing from the town of Bakewell, but different to the Bakewell Pudding.

When I first started my blog, back in 2014, one of my early posts was for Bakewell Tart. The tart is traditional in the UK and has a few variants. In the stores you can readily by individual ones and you can also by Cherry Bakewells which are similar but with an icing and a cherry on the top.

However, this traditional version is made in a tart tin. It has a crumbly, tender, pastry base which is then topped with raspberry jam and a thick layer of frangipane which is a ground almond batter. Slivered or shaved almonds are then sprinkled on the top just to finish everything off.

Obviously since it is involves making pastry, which is then blind-baked, it take a little time. But the time spent is well worth it since Bakewell Tart is so tasty. It can be served in slices, as. a dessert, with cream, ice cream or custard. It can also be served hot or cold. It can even be served just as a slice to enjoy with a cup of tea.

Personally I enjoy it any way at all. I have other recipes on my blog for individual tarts and for Cherry Bakewells too as well as for Bakewell Tart Squares. So there are lots of options but I particularly like this tart.

Bakewell Tart

Mine baked very well indeed, rising nicely. It tasted so good too and I enjoyed it warm as my dessert on the day of baking and the served cold the next day too.

Although I used large eggs, which would be extra large in the USA, in a note below the recipe I explain how to use medium eggs(large in USA) if that is what you have available.

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Bakewell Tart - A Perfect Dessert
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Bakewell Tart – A Perfect Dessert

Recipe by geoffcoo

A traditional British Dessert

Ingredients

  • For the pastry

  • 200g(1 1/3 cups, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour

  • 100g(7 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

  • 15g(2 tbsp)icing sugar

  • 2 large egg yolks(XL in USA), beaten, – see note below

  • pinch of salt

  • a dash of water if needed

  • For the filling:

  • 100g(7 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

  • 150g(1 1/2 cups) ground almonds

  • 125g(1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar

  • 3 large eggs(XL in USA), beaten, see note below

  • 150g(6 tbsp) raspberry jam

  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

  • 25g(3 tbsp) flaked, or slivered, almonds

  • pinch of salt

Directions

  • Add the flour, icing sugar and salt into a large bowl (or into a food processor).
  • Place the cold butter into the dry ingredients and rub in, between fingers(or blitz in a processor) until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  • Add most of the beaten egg yolk and beat in until the mixture begins to clump.
  • Then add the remaining egg yolk and mix until the clumping becomes more significant. If necessary add a dash of water to help everything come together.
  • Tip the mixture out onto a work surface and squeeze in your hands to form a soft, but not sticky, dough.
  • Form the dough into a flattened disc and wrap in plastic wrap.
  • Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Roll the pastry out, on a lightly floured surface, to a thickness of about 3mm(1/8th inch).
  • Roll the pastry up in the rolling pin and carefully place into a 23cm(9 inch) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
  • Carefully push the pastry onto the base and around the sides. If it cracks simply patch it up.
  • Place the tart pan into the fridge and chill for 30 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/375F.
  • Prick all over the base of the pastry with a fork.
  • Place some parchment paper onto the pastry and fill with baking beans(or dried rice etc.).
  • Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and parchment paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.
  • Remove the tart case from the oven and allow to cool.
  • Adjust the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/350F.
  • Place the softened butter and caster sugar into a large bowl and cream it together( I used my hand mixer).
  • Add the almond extract and pinch of salt.
  • Then, slowly add the beaten eggs a little at a time, whisking all the time until fully combined.
  • Add the ground almonds and fold into the wet mixture to form a thick batter.
  • Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the base of the tart case.
  • Spoon the batter onto the jam and carefully spread all over until it is level.
  • Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top.
  • Bake the tart in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until it has risen and is brown and firm ton the top. If the almonds seem to be getting too dark cover the top with some aluminium foil until the tart is baked fully.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the tart pan.

Notes

  • If you don’t have large eggs(XL USA) you can use 3 medium(large USA) eggs for the filling and add in the white of one of the eggs from which you obtained the yolk for the pastry. For the pastry the yolks will be slightly smaller, but should be ok, add a dash of water if needed to pull the dough together.

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