National Bakewell Tart Day

It’s National Bakewell Tart Day!

What’s the difference between a Bakewell tart and a cherry Bakewell? According to erudus.com, ‘A Cherry Bakewell is a version of the Bakewell tart where a layer of almond fondant is added on top of the frangipane and topped with a halved glacé cherry. Cherry Bakewells are usually small and served as individual tarts, whereas the traditional Bakewell tart is a tray bake cut into slices post-oven.’

Did you know there’s also a local variation called the Gloucester Tart? This recipe uses ground rice instead of almonds in the filling.

Try this vintage recipe below. taken from the 1968 Cordon Bleu Cookery Course

Ingredients

• 6 oz rich shortcrust pastry For filling
• 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
• 1 tablespoon lemon curd
• 1 oz butter
• 2 oz caster sugar
• Grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 egg
• 2 oz ground almonds
• 2 rounded tablespoons cake crumbs

7-inch diameter sandwich tin

Method

• Make the rich shortcrust pastry and set aside to chill. When chilled, roll it out and line on to the sandwich tin, knock up pastry edges and scallop with the thumb.
• Spread the pastry first with jam and then with lemon curd.
• Cream the butter in a bowl until soft, add the sugar and lemon rind and continue beat­ing until light.
• Beat egg, add a little at a time, and then stir in the almonds, cake crumbs and lemon juice.
• Spread the almond mixture over the lemon curd and bake for 35-45 minutes until set and golden-brown in an oven at 375°F or Mark 5.

© Copyright BPC Publishing Limited 1968

Here’s a recipe from Alison Burt’s 1975 Hamlyn recipe cards

There’s also a couple of recipes from the BBC. The Hairy Bikers and Mary Berry. Click on the images below to save and/or print these recipes or use the link to the BBC website.