Bakewell tarts
There’s something so nostalgic about bakewell tarts for me. I spent countless British breaks away with my family in Bakewell growing up, and most of those holidays revolved around how many of the tarts we could consume on the trip. To this day, they’re a family favourite. They’re such a fun, simple thing to bake, especially if you buy the pastry ready-made.
SERVES 12 PREP 30 mins plus chilling and setting COOK 40 mins EASY V 2 x 320g sheets all-butter
shortcrust pastry
For the frangipane
120g butter, softened, plus
extra for the tin
120g golden caster sugar 1 egg
1 tbsp plain lour
110g ground almonds 90g cherry jam
For the icing and topping 200g icing sugar 12 glacé cherries
1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and lightly butter a 12-hole mu n tin. Unroll the pastry and use a 10cm round pastry cutter to stamp out 12 circles. Press into the holes of the prepared tin, making sure the pastry circles come up slightly over the top of the holes, smoothing any creases. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 20 mins. Cut out 10 x 10cm squares of baking parchment, scrunch up, then unfold and use to line each of the pastry cases. Fill with baking beans, rice or dried pulses. Bake for 10 mins, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for 10 mins more until golden. Leave to cool a little.
2 To make the frangipane, beat the butter and sugar together until light and flu y, then whisk in the egg, followed by the flour (this prevents splitting). Fold in the almonds. Spoon 1 level tsp of jam into each of the pastry cases, followed by a tablespoon of the frangipane mixture. Bake for 20 mins until the frangipane is golden and springy. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then trim the edges of the pastry with a small sharp knife, if you like.
3 For the icing, mix the sugar with 2 tbsp water. Spread over each of the cooled tarts, then top each with a single glacé cherry. Leave to set for 20 mins, then serve.
PER SERVING 534 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 12g • carbs 57g • sugars 32g • ibre 2g • protein 6g • salt 0.5g