Bakewell Tarts, as Jane from the GBBO's tent said, are classic and classy. They've certainly stood the test of time, and seem to have their origins in the Bakewell Pudding which was first made in the late 18th or early 19th century. Of course, whatever their history, there's a very good reason for their longevity and put simply it's because they're down right delicious.
Who could not defy the enticing, simple charms of a Bakewell Tart? Crisp sweet pastry. Fruity flavoursome jam. Moreish
almondy frangipane. Simple water icing. Finished with a pretty
coloured feathering.
So having watched, like most of the nation, GBBO's pastry week on Wednesday evening I knew that I wanted to make this classic tart as part of my Blogger's Bake Along challenge. That said, given my love of pastry, I was also tempted to by the signature Breakfast Pastries (Danish Pastries) and the showstopper filo Amuse Buche too....so watch out for another GBBO pastry related post soon!
There are so many ways in which a bakewell tart can be presented. Perhaps as small individual portions rather than a large family sized tart; with different flavoured jam; topped with a scattering of flaked almonds; with a modern zig-zag pattern of water icing; perhaps even finished off with a cherry.
Although I did entertain the idea of making a small batch of individual Bakewell Tarts just for Mr E and I to enjoy, I have to admit that I fell under the spell of this classic tart and made a large family sized one which is perfect for sharing. And even though I rang the changes a little regarding the flavours to those which the bakers in the tent used I felt that a larger tart would allow the feathering pattern to sing out.
The remaining GBBO bakers were supplied with a pinky-red food colouring which they used to create their feathering pattern, but knowing that such colours are usually (though not exclusively) not vegetarian friendly and therefore not suitable for our household, a melted chocolate was used to create my feathering decoration. Not only did the chocolate feathering negate any vegetarian issues it also brought an extra flavour which worked well with the morello cherry jam and almond frangipane.
As for the result. Well, we were pretty happy with our Chocolate & Cherry Bakewell Tart - it certainly baked-well 😉
Let's get to it and baaake
print recipe
morello cherry jam and decorated with a chocolate feathering through the
simple water icing.
Hands on time approx: 35 mins Cook time: 50 - 55 mins Yield: 1 large 22cm tart
Specific Equipment
1 x 22cm loose bottomed deep fluted flan tin
For the sweet pastry (Pate Sucree)
- 138g Plain Flour, plus extra for rolling out
- 50g Icing Sugar
- 50g Unsalted Butter, chilled & diced
- 1 Large Egg
For the frangipane
- 140g Unsalted Butter, softened
- 70g Golden Caster Sugar
- 70g Caster Sugar
- 2 Eggs, Large
- 1 capful Almond Extract
- 140g Ground Almonds
For the layer of jam
- 2 tablespoon Morello Cherry Jam (or any red / purple coloured jam)
For the icing and feathering decoration
- 225g Icing Sugar
- 40g Milk or Plain Chocolate
Method
Notes: a) allow the icing to firm up for at least 30 minutes before slicing into it.
Helen at CAsa Costello
Wow! You completely nailed that bake! I much prefer a Bakewell Tart to a Bakewell pudding - Who wouldn't want such pretty decoration too? Thanks once again for joining in with #bakeoftheWeek really pleased you are part of the gang x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thankyou Helen 🙂 I must admit I've never tried a Bakewell Pudding, I shall have to add it to my 'to bake list'!
No thankyou, it's a lovely linky 🙂
Angela x
Amanda
Yours looks lovely! xx
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Amanda 🙂
Angela x
Kat BakingExplorer
Wow this is beautifully neat!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thankyou Kat 🙂
Angela x
Kathryn
This looks so perfect and so pretty! Love your spin of chocolate on the icing!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Kathryn 🙂 The chocolate worked beautifully, and afterall who doen't like a little bit of chocolate 😉
Angela x
Corina
What beautiful feathering on the top Angela! I really like bakewell tarts but unfortunately my other half is not so keen so I am unlikely to make one. Wish I could just have a slice of this!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Corina. What is it that he doesn't like about Bakewells, is it the almond flavour? If so you could perhaps leave out the extract althogether. To be honest hubby isn't keep on them either and he actually tried a slice and enjoyed it (though he was probably just being polite ;-)! ).
Thanks for your lovely comment Corina,
Angela x
Midge
Bakewell tarts were my favourite as a child and this one just looks amazing! You can make eggfree ones but they are never the same as the original! Athough i think this may have spurred me on to try! Well done for being star baker - that feathering is so neat!! x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Midge 🙂 Somebody on Instagram mentioned that they'd made a bakewell with aquafaba recently which i'm very intreged about.....I'm really interested to see how it turned out as she's not shared the image as yet. I'm amazed by how many things can be made egg free - there are so many clever bakers out there.
Thans for your lovely comments,
Angela x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Looks amazing Angela. Cherry and almonds are a great combo and a touch of chocolate to finish perfect!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Jacqueline. I totally agree, those flavours work so well together don't they.
Angela x
Sarah James
Wow, what a pretty tart. I love the feathering, it really does look professional and what a good idea to use chocolate, it goes so well with cherry.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Chocolate and cherries are fab together aren't they. The feathering really does make it look pretty doesn't it, and given that I think we can forget about the amount of icing sugar which is needed! 😉
Thankyou for your lovely comment Sarah,
Angela
Eb Gargano
Such a brilliant Bakewell Tart!! Still in awe of that amazing feather icing - no wonder you won an award!! Eb Xx
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Eb 🙂 I still can't quite believe that the lovely people on twitter marked it as 'star baker'...it really has made my day ....nope week 🙂
Angela x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Oooh Angela, this looks and sounds so good!!! I love cherry and chocolate together x #GBBO
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
It's a delicious combo isn't it Kirsty. Thanks for your lovely comment,
Angela x
Anne Stone
Pinned for sure! I'm so desperate for a Bakewell tart now, and the idea of cherry and chocolate sounds devine. Your tart looks beautiful.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thankyou so much Anne, and thank you for pinnng too. I hope you enjoy it if you get chance to give it a go, and I'd love for you to tweet me an image of it if you do 🙂
Angela x
Jenny
such a stunning tart Angela - so neat, tidy and beautifully iced and feathered. Mary would be proud me thinks 🙂 well done lovely xx
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
🙂 Thank you so much Jenny.
Angela x
Rebecca Beesley
what a great idea to use chocolate for the feathering (and it looks so neat and professional!) You've done amazingly this week and been so busy with the pastries too - WOW -im totally in awe of you!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Rebecca - th chocolate made it a lot easier than hunting for a vegetarian pinky - red food colouring plus it worked nicely with the cherry jam.
Yup, I'm feeling a tad wiery now....of for a long sit down with a pot of tea!
Angela x
Betty Stamp
Honestly my Twitter feed has been chocka block with bakewell tarts and yours is still by far the most perfect one I've seen so far ! Ruddy great job on this!
Betty x
The Betty Stamp
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw Betty! Thank you so much! There have certainly been a LOT of bakewells on social media...wonder if the supermarkets have run low on ground almonds 😉
Angela x
Lucy Allen
I love the feathering of your icing, it looks so pretty. The flavours sound wonderful too. I am actually starting to drool as I write, hehe
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
hahaha, my work is done 😉
Thank you for your lovely comment Lucy,
Angela x
Gina
That looks absolutely amazing!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Gina, you're far too kind 🙂
Angela x
Louise Fairweather
This sounds and looks beautiful! Wonderful feathering - very impressed x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Louise
Angela x
Cathy
Thus looks just perfect, a sure winner xx
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thankyou Cathy, you're far too kind 🙂
Angela x
Jo
Your tart looks gorgeous - so professional and classy with the zig zag feathering. Look at that lovely, thin, even pastry layer! I couldn't believe how so many of the bakers on Bake Off had never made a bakewell tart and considered it old fashioned. It's a classic!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Jo 🙂 I recall James Martin once saying (or perhaps I read his comment somewhere once) that when he works in the pastry section of a pro kitchen the challenge was always to get the pastry as thin as possible and to fill a tart case as much as they could - obviously without any filling overflowing etc. So I try to bear that in mind when I'm rolling my pastry.
I know, wasn't it strange, you'd have thought that they would have made a Bakewell at somepoint, there again poor Val said she made them every week and look what happened to her bake!
Thanks for your lovely comment Jo,
Angela x
Hannah
Yum, Angela, looks so professional! What do you make of Bake Off's move to Channel 4?
Hannah
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you hannah, you're far too kind 🙂 .... but I'll take 'professional' 😉 Ooh don't get me on my soap box about the move to C4 ...let's just say that I'm not a happy bunny about it all!