Cherry Bakewell

Bakewell tart is one of those British desserts that have gone down so well for generations that it becomes a true classic very hard to beat. And while there are a few variations of this delicious pudding, all the recipe use the same basic ingredients.

I do love good recipe is that quick and easy to make, but some, although as easy to make, are not as quick. They require just a tad more time to reach perfection, and that's ok, the result is well worth the time and effort.

It's the kind of dessert that I would serve for Mother's Day or other important celebration throughout the year. It's safe to say that it goes wonderfully well with a cuppa or other hot drink of your choice.

The recipe itself is very similar to my Frangipane Mince Pies, as it uses a buttery shortcrust pastry and the almond paste filling. The difference is that the tart uses jam instead of mince meat and it's topped with flaked almonds.

Also, the tart is baked as one large tart rather than small pies, although it can definitely be baked as tartlets, in which case the baking time is reduced considerably.

Ingredients used for the shortcrust pastry

• flour - just regular plain flour here
• butter - I used salted butter, despite the fact that it is a sweet pastry, it gives it a really good kick
• milk - full-fat milk if possible, semi-skimmed milk also ok
• sugar - either caster or granulated
• egg - I used a whole egg, rather than an egg yolk as some recipes call for, it makes the shortcrust pastry much better

Ingredients needed for the filling and topping

• ground almonds - coarser than almond flour, I find that they work much better in this recipe
• flaked almonds - to top the tart
• eggs - at room temperature
• butter - soften, but not melted
• sugar - caster or granulated
• cherry jam - or you are not bothered about this tart being cherry bakewell, just use any other jam of your choice
• glace cherries - or candied cherries
• almond extract - optional

Step-by-step photos and instructions to make the sweet shortcrust pastry

• 1. in a mixing bowl, sift in the flour, add the cold butter and use your fingertips to rub them together to get a breadcrumb-like texture
• crack in the egg and add the milk, then knead gently to get a dough that does not stick to the hands
• wrap the dough into clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes

Step-by-step photos and instructions to make the filling and crust

• in a mixing bowl, add the soften butter and sugar, and use a hand mixer to beat everything well
• add the eggs and beat again, then in go the ground almonds and almond extract

• mix everything together to get a sticky paste
• once the pastry has been chilled, flour the work surface, and roll the pastry
• arrange it over a tart/quiche tin and use your fingers to press it down gently
• prick the pastry with a fork in several places, leaving the edges of the pastry to overhang
• place a kitchen foil on top of the pastry, fill the case with baking bins, and bake at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes
• remove the foil and baking beans, cut the excess pastry from the edges, and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden

Step-by-step photos and instructions to fill and top the tart

• when the pastry is out of the oven, spread the jam over the bottom of the pastry, arrange the cherries, then top with the franagipane and flaked almonds
• bake for 30-35 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) until golden

Expert tips

It might look like you do not have enough fragipane filling for this tart, but there is no need to increase the amount of ingredients used for frangipane. Once the tart is in the oven, the filling will rise beautifully, filling the top of the tart well.

Unless cherries are in season, I highly recommend using glace cherries, as they bake really well and they do not change the consistency of the tart.