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.
For me any recipe with almonds in is a winner and this recipe will not disappoint. I have used my popular Bakewell tart recipe and topped with water icing, glacé cherries and flaked almonds.
This is a delicious almond tart with a nice thin buttery pastry case which not only looks great but tastes it too!!! I have made it in an oblong tart tin so it makes it easy to slice and eat!
Start by making the pastry, you can do this the day before or on the day you want to bake the tart.
Put the flour, 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.
Then add the egg and combine using the pulse function (if using the food processor) so you do not overwork the dough. Keep pulsing until a ball of pastry starts to form. If making by hand mix in the egg and use your hands to form the dough.
The pastry then 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. I used a 36 x 12cm (14” x 4¾”) Rectangular, fluted edge, tart tin.
Trim the edges.
Spread an even layer of the Cherry jam on the base.
Then put the filling on top of jam and level.
Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until golden brown.
While the tart is cooling make the icing.
Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add water gradually until the icing is a thick dripping consistency.
When the tart is cool put the icing on the top and spread just to the edges.
Arrange the cherries and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Leave to set completely before slicing.
Iced Bakewell Slice
Servings: 12
Sarah’s skill: Medium
Baking time: 35 - 45 minutes
Ingredients:
Pastry
200g Plain Flour
45g Icing Sugar
100g Cold Cubed Unsalted Butter
1 Large Egg
Filling
100g Self Raising Flour
100g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
100g Caster Sugar
60g Ground Almonds
2 Large Eggs
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
5 tbsp Cherry Jam
Icing
200g Sieved icing sugar
3-4 Tbsp Cold Water
12 Glace cherries halved
2 Tbsp Flaked almonds
Method:
Pastry Put the flour, 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.
Add the egg and combine in the food processor or by hand until the pastry forms a ball.
Wrap in cling film or similar and transfer to fridge to keep cool for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) or Gas Mark 4.
Filling Put the flour, butter, sugar, almonds, eggs and almond extract into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until it is pale in colour.
Line a 36 x 12cm (14” x 4¾”) Rectangular, fluted edge, tart tin with the pastry and spread the cherry jam in a smooth even layer.
Spread the filling on top of the cherry jam and level.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
While the tart is cooling make the icing. Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add water gradually until the icing is a thick dripping consistency.
When the tart is cool put the icing on the top and spread just to the edges.
Arrange the cherries and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Leave to set completely before slicing.
Sarah's Extra Slice........
I do not blind bake my Bakewell tart case as the pastry always bakes well without needing to. My rectangular fluted edge tin measure 36 x 12cm (14” x 4¾”).
I used natural coloured dark glacé cherries but the red ones work just as well.
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