Welcome to a delightful journey into the heart of traditional British baking! This month, the Daring Bakers’ challenge, expertly hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar, took us on an exciting adventure to create a classic Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart – or perhaps, a Bakewell Pudding, depending on who you ask! This beloved dessert boasts a rich history dating back to the 1800s in England, a testament to its enduring appeal and comforting charm.
For those unfamiliar, the Bakewell Tart is a true masterpiece of flavors and textures, combining a delicate shortcrust pastry base with a layer of fruit jam and a rich, almond-infused frangipane topping. It’s an experience that transports you straight to a quaint English tearoom, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and nutty depth in every bite. This challenge was a fantastic opportunity to dive into a baking tradition cherished for centuries.
A Timeless Classic: The Enduring Appeal of Bakewell Tart
The story of the Bakewell Tart is as rich and layered as the dessert itself, originating from the picturesque town of Bakewell in Derbyshire, England. While often used interchangeably, there’s a charming distinction between Bakewell Pudding and Bakewell Tart. Legend has it that the Bakewell Pudding was born from a fortunate accident in the 1800s when a cook misunderstood instructions and spread egg and almond paste over a layer of jam instead of stirring it into the pastry. The resulting “pudding” became an instant hit, renowned for its soft, custardy texture.
The Bakewell Tart, a more refined and widely recognized version, evolved from this original pudding. It typically features a crisp shortcrust pastry, a generous spread of jam (traditionally raspberry), and a topping of frangipane, a sweet almond cream, finished with flaked almonds. This adaptation offers a firmer, more cake-like topping compared to the pudding’s custardy consistency, making it a staple in bakeries and homes across the UK.
This challenge allowed me to explore this heritage firsthand, and I must say, the experience was incredibly rewarding. The beauty of the Bakewell Tart lies not just in its delicious taste but also in its relatively straightforward preparation, making it an accessible yet impressive dessert for any home baker.
Mastering the Components: Pastry and Frangipane Perfection
One of the most enjoyable aspects of making this Bakewell Tart was witnessing how perfectly the components came together. The sweet shortcrust pastry, which I had never made from scratch for a tart before, cooked up beautifully. Its texture was wonderfully crumbly and buttery, reminiscent of a delicate shortbread, providing a delightful foundation for the rest of the tart. The key to a good shortcrust pastry is using very cold butter and handling the dough minimally to ensure it remains tender and doesn’t develop too much gluten.
Then there’s the frangipane – the heart of the Bakewell Tart. This rich, almond-flavored cream is surprisingly simple to make, yet it offers a depth of flavor that elevates the entire dessert. I was particularly grateful for the Daring Bakers’ warning that the frangipane might appear “curdled” during preparation. Had it not been for that crucial tip, I might have panicked and assumed something had gone wrong! Instead, knowing this is a normal part of the process allowed me to confidently continue, resulting in a smooth, flavorful, and perfectly textured almond topping.
The versatility of the Bakewell Tart also truly shines through in its jam layer. While many traditional recipes call for raspberry jam, you have the freedom to choose any jam or curd you desire. For this particular tart, I opted for an organic plum jam that I discovered at my local natural market. The slightly tart and sweet notes of the plum jam perfectly complemented the rich, nutty flavor of the frangipane and the subtle almond essence in the crust. This customization allows for endless variations, catering to individual preferences and seasonal availability.
Baking Experience: Quick, Easy, and Utterly Delicious
Contrary to what its sophisticated appearance might suggest, I found this Bakewell Tart recipe to be surprisingly easy and quick to prepare. From start to finish, including making the pastry and frangipane from scratch, it took me only about an hour to get the tart into the oven. This makes it an ideal dessert for those moments when you want to impress with a homemade treat without spending an entire afternoon in the kitchen.
The baking process itself is equally gratifying, as the tart transforms in the oven, filling your home with the warm, inviting aroma of almonds and sweet pastry. The final result is a golden-crusted delight with a beautifully puffed frangipane layer that is both firm and subtly soft – or “squidgy” as the recipe describes, in the most appealing way. It’s a truly satisfying bake that yields impressive results with minimal fuss.
I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to give this traditional Bakewell Tart recipe a try. There’s immense satisfaction in tackling a classic, and the delicious reward is simply unmatched. It’s a fantastic way to expand your baking repertoire and enjoy a piece of culinary history right in your own home. Enjoy every sweet, almond-scented bite!
Traditional Bakewell Tart Recipe
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 1 (9-inch) tart
Ingredients:
For the Completed Tart:
- 1 quantity Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (recipe follows)
- Bench flour (for dusting)
- 250ml (1 cup / 8 US fl. oz) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability (raspberry, plum, or cherry are excellent choices)
- 1 quantity Frangipane (recipe follows)
- 1 handful blanched, flaked almonds
For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:
- 225g (8oz) all-purpose flour
- 30g (1oz) granulated sugar
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
- 110g (4oz) unsalted butter, very cold (frozen is even better)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional, but enhances flavor)
- 15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water
For the Frangipane:
- 125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 125g (4.5oz) icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 3 large eggs
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
- 125g (4.5oz) ground almonds (almond flour/meal)
- 30g (1oz) all-purpose flour
Directions:
For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Grate the very cold butter into the flour mixture using the large hole-side of a box grater.
- Using only your fingertips and working very quickly to prevent the butter from warming, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This technique helps create a flaky crust.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using). Quickly mix this into the flour mixture.
- Continue mixing while gradually dribbling in the cold water, adding just enough to bring the dough together into a cohesive and slightly sticky ball. Avoid overmixing.
- Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling period is crucial for the pastry to relax and become easier to roll.
Assembling and Baking the Bakewell Tart:
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Remove the chilled dough disc from the refrigerator. If it’s overly cold and stiff, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to become more pliable.
- Lightly flour your work surface and your rolling pin. Roll the pastry to an even thickness of about 5mm (1/4 inch). Roll in one direction only (starting from the center and rolling away from you), turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll to ensure even thickness.
- Carefully transfer the rolled pastry into your tart pan (a 9-inch pan with a removable bottom works best). Gently press the pastry into the pan, ensuring it fits snugly into all the crevices. Trim any excess dough from the edges. Use any trimmed bits to patch up any small holes, fissures, or tears in the pastry.
- Place the prepared pastry shell into the freezer for 15 minutes. This quick chill helps prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Remove the chilled pastry shell from the freezer. Spread an even layer of your chosen warmed jam or curd onto the pastry base.
- Carefully spoon the prepared frangipane (recipe follows) over the jam layer, spreading it gently to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Place the tart in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 25 minutes (five minutes before the tart is done), the top of the frangipane will have puffed up and achieved a lovely brownish hue. Carefully remove the tart from the oven.
- Evenly strew the blanched, flaked almonds over the top of the frangipane.
- Return the tart to the oven for the final five minutes of baking.
- The finished Bakewell Tart will have a beautiful golden crust, and the frangipane topping will be tanned, slightly puffed, and have a somewhat spongy appearance.
- Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack on the counter before slicing.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. For an extra treat, serve with crème fraîche, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of custard sauce.
- When sliced, the almond frangipane will be firm yet delightfully soft and “squidgy,” and the crust should be wonderfully crisp but not tough.
For the Frangipane:
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and icing sugar for about a minute, until the mixture is pale primrose in color and very fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle at this stage – do not panic! This is completely normal and will resolve as you add the remaining ingredients.
- Once all three eggs are incorporated, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- With the beaters on low speed, gradually spoon in the ground almonds and the all-purpose flour. Mix until just combined.
- The resulting frangipane mixture will be soft, retain its slightly curdled look (mostly due to the ground almonds), and maintain its pale yellow color. It is now ready to be spread over your tart base.