The Best Bakewell Tart Recipe

This is a wonderful recipe for a classic Bakewell Tart. It is really straightforward and produces a tart with beautiful light, crisp pastry, raspberry jam and a delicious dense almond filling - what could be nicer? This tart went down a storm this weekend. It is a lovely teatime treat and delicious served warm or cold. Hope you have all had a nice bank holiday weekend. The weather has been truly British, sunshine one minute -then rain showers the next! But whatever the weather -it beats being at work! Back soon, Lucie x




Bakewell Tart - Serves 8

For the pastry

170g plain flour
pinch salt
75g unsalted butter
For the filling and topping

170g strawberry or raspberry jam
110g unsalted butter
110g vanilla sugar (I used caster sugar and added 1 tsp of vanilla essence)
110 g ground almonds
3 eggs, plus one additional egg yolk
1 tsp almond extract
handful blanched flaked almonds

Method
1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in enough iced water to bring the mixture together into a smooth dough. Roll the pastry out to line a 23cm tart tin and chill for 30 minutes, or until required.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Spread a layer of jam generously over the tart base.
4. Melt the butter and continue to heat until it smells nutty.
5. Whisk together the sugar, ground almonds, egg yolks, egg whites and almond extract.
6. Pour in the hot butter and whisk until smooth.
7. Spoon the mixture over the jam.
8. Transfer the tart to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned and just set, scattering the flaked almonds over the tart after 25 minutes so that they get a chance to brown slightly.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 20 minutes. Serve warm with fresh cream.