Bakewell Tart

My first attempt at a Bakewell tart was when I was in the Girl Guides and it was award winning!!! Even at an early age I had the baking bug but went off to study accountancy instead!?!? I remember being very proud of my certificate and still have it to this day.

It is an English tart consisting of a sweet shortcrust pastry shell with layers of jam, frangipani topping and flaked almonds. It can also be topped with icing and cherries but my version has just crunchy flaked almonds on top.

Nowadays any recipe with almonds in is a winner for me but this recipe will always be a special one for me and my childhood memories.

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Start by making the pastry. You can do this by hand or in a food processor. You need to rub the butter into the flour and sugar until you have fine breadcrumbs.

Then add the egg and combine until you have a ball of pastry.

This needs to be wrapped and placed in the fridge to keep cool for at least 30 minutes.

Next to make the filling put the flour, soft butter, sugar, almonds, eggs and almond extract into the bowl of a stand mixer or you can use a hand mixer. Mix until it is pale in colour.

Take the pastry out of the fridge and lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry and line the tart tin.

Trim the edges and spread an even layer of jam on the base.

Then put the almond filling on top of the jam and level.

Finally sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake until golden brown.

Bakewell Tart

Sarah's servings: 12

Sarah's skill: Medium

Baking time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:

Pastry

200g Plain Flour

45g Icing Sugar

100g Cold Cubed Unsalted Butter

1 large Egg

Filling

150g Self Raising Flour

150g Soft Unsalted Butter

150g Caster Sugar

90g Ground Almonds

3 large Eggs

1 tsp Almond Extract

5 Tbsp Raspberry Jam

75g Flaked Almonds

Method:

1. Pastry Put the flour, icing sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse until you have fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively rub the butter into the flour and sugar by hand until you have fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add the egg and combine in the food processor or by hand until the pastry forms a ball.

3. Wrap in cling film or similar and transfer to fridge to keep cool for at least 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) Gas Mark 4.

5. Filling Put the flour, butter, caster sugar, ground almonds, eggs and almond extract into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until it is pale in colour.

6. Line a round 23cm/ 9 inch tart tin with the pastry and spread the raspberry jam in a smooth even layer.

7. Spread the filling on top of the jam and when level sprinkle on the flaked almonds.

8. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

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Sarah's Extra Slice........

I do not blind bake my Bakewell tart case as the pastry always bakes well without needing to. My flan tin is Alan Silverwood 23cm/ 9 inch.

You can easily make your own jam but if you don’t have time to make it then always buy a good quality one with a high fruit content.