Soups & Starters
Puddings & Desserts
Bakewell Tart
A fabulous dessert (or teatime treat) that can be adapted with all sorts of different sweet fillings
I first made this at Christmas using a jar of mincemeat in place of the traditional jam layer and it worked really well. Since then I’ve experimented with using different flavours of jam, as well as a layer of dried apricots cooked until soft in amaretto liqueur (see https://acooksplot.com/2021-12-12-chocolate-amaretti-and-apricot-desert). All were delicious, so feel free to change this recipe to work with whatever sweet filling you have to hand
Ingredients
Serves 8
- FOR THE PASTRY:
- 75g butter
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175g plain flour
- FOR THE TOPPING:
- 125g butter, at room temperature
- 125g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 50g ground almonds
- grated zest of half a lemon
- 110g self-raising flour
- 3 tbsp raspberry jam
- 50g flaked almonds
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
Method
To make the pastry, cream together the butter and sugar (it's easiest to do this with a hand whisk), then stir in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and and mix lightly to a dough, adding a little water if it's too dry. Press out to a disc, wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for an hour to make it easier to roll out.
Using plenty of flour on the worktop and the rolling pin, roll the pastry out to fit a 20cm pie dish. Prick the base with a fork and bake at 180C (fan oven) for 15 mins until pale golden. Then turn down to oven to 150C (fan oven).
For the filling, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric hand whisk, then stir in the eggs, ground almonds, lemon zest and flour and whisk until light and fluffy.
Spread the jam (or your chosen filling) over the base of the cooked pastry case, then spoon on the topping. Use a table knife to level it off, then sprinkle with flaked almonds. Put on a baking tray and bake at 150C (fan oven) for 50 mins to an hour until golden and firm.
Leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar.