Bakewell Tart
 
Preparation time
Cooking time
Total time
 
A Bakewell Tart usually has raspberry or strawberry jam but blueberries go so well with the almondy sponge. Substitute the blueberries with 200 grams of raspberries if you prefer. Frozen fruit is ideal. You'll need some baking beans to provide weight in your tart case as you pre-bake it. You can use any dried pulses and keep them for another time. Chilling and pre-baking the tart case is essential (baking blind).
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Pastry
  • 160 gr plain flour
  • 90 gr butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
Compôte
  • 200 gr blueberries
  • 25 gr sugar
  • 5 gr cornflour
Almond sponge
  • 100 gr ground almonds
  • 25 gr self raising flour
  • 125 gr butter
  • 125 gr sugar
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 20 gr flaked almonds
Instructions
Pastry
  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a food processor. Mix until it become fine crumbs.
  2. Add the egg and mix until it forms a ball. You should not need any more liquid, but if it is very dry add a teaspoon of water and mix again.
  3. The pastry will be soft, but carefully roll out and line a tin approx 23 cm in diameter, which has been lightly buttered.
  4. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably one hour. You could leave this overnight.
Compôte
  1. In the meantime, make the compote.
  2. Add the fruit and sugar to a small pan and cook through. Cook on a high heat for 5 minutes making sure it does not catch. Add the cornflour mixed with a tablespoon of water and cook until thickened.
  3. Set aside to cool before using. Keep in the fridge until you need it.
Bake the pastry
  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C, 350°F or Gas 4. Take your tart out of the fridge.
  2. Line the tart with baking parchment or greaseproof, then add baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes then remove the parchment and beans. Return to the oven and cooking for a further 5-7 minutes until golden but not brown as you will be baking the case again. Timing will very much depend on your oven.
  3. Remove from the oven and let the case cool slightly.
Almond sponge
  1. Prepare the sponge whilst your tart is baking.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together with the zest of lemon in a stand mixer or with a hand held mixer.
  3. Mix the flour, almonds and baking powder together.
  4. Beat the eggs and add slowly to the butter and sugar mixture adding a little of the flour and almond mixture as you go to stop curdling until both the egg and flour mixture are used up.
Assemble the tart
  1. Spread the compote in an even layer over the bottom of the tart
  2. Now add the almond sponge. Dot dessertspoons of mixture over the compote. Gently use a fork to draw the mixture over the compote. Do not worry if a little of the compote gets mixed in.
  3. You will add your flaked almonds once the mixture has start to set.
  4. Place the tart in the oven on a tray. After 10 minutes, carefully take out of the oven and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
  5. Place back in the oven and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until golden. This will very much depend on your oven. Just keep an eye on it as you do not want it to dry out.
  6. Serve warm.
Recipe by Edinburgh Foody at http://www.edinburghfoody.com/2016/03/08/try-a-slice-of-bakewell-tart/