Bakewell Tart Recipe

Today's recipe is for a classic British tart that can be served either at tea time or for dessert.

The classic Bakewell Tart has a rich, sweet, shortcrust base spread with raspberry jam that's then topped with a ground almond custard (called a frangipane) before being topped with slivered (sliced) almonds and then baked. Sweet, fruity and nutty, this is truly delicious and a real British classic.

Bakewell Tart

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:

200g (1 1/2 cups) plain 00 flour
pinch of salt
100g (1/2 cup) butter, finely diced
25g (1 oz) icing sugar
1 medium egg, beaten

For the Filling:

100g (1/2 cup) butter
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
3 medium eggs, beaten
150g (5 1/3 oz) ground almonds
a few drops of almond essence
3 tbsp raspberry jam
25g (1 oz) flaked almonds

Method:

Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the diced butter and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the icing sugar then add enough of the beaten egg to bring the mixture together as a dough.

Turn the pastry onto a floured work surface and roll out until large enough to cover the base and sides of a 26cm (10 1/2 in) diameter flan ring.

Trim the pastry roughly, then cover and set aside to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (this helps prevent shrinkage).

For the filling, cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl. Gradually beat in the eggs until combined then stir in the ground almonds and almond essence.

Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and spread the base with jam. Spoon the almond mixture into the pastry case and sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top.

Allow to bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Serve cold. This makes and excellent tea-time treat, but can also be served for dessert with custard.

See the Celtnet traditional and modern British recipes page for more classic British recipes and the Celtnet baked tarts and pies recipe page for more recipes for sweet and savoury pies and tarts.