Bakewell Tart
“Bakewell tarts are such a well-loved teatime treat that there was no doubt I needed the perfect recipe for one. The crisp pastry and soft chewy frangipane match so well with the slightly sharp jam—they are a real favourite. I have included a recipe for the pastry here, but you could use shop-bought pastry, if you prefer.” —Cox
1. For the pastry, put all the ingredients except the water in a food processor and pulse until it has a texture like bread crumbs. Add the water and pulse until it starts to come together into a ball. Tip it out onto a work surface and bring it together into a smooth dough, kneading gently. Alternatively, if you don’t have a food processor, you can do this by hand. Combine the flour, icing sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl, then rub in the butter between your fingertips until it forms rough bread crumbs. Add the water and bring together into a ball. Knead until smooth.
2. Roll out the pastry on a flour-dusted surface—or between two sheets of baking parchment—until it is around 3 millimeters (½ inch) thick. Lay the pastry over a 23-centimeter (9-inch) tart tin, then carefully push the pastry into the sides, allowing the excess to hang over the edges. Place the pastry case into the freezer to chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan.
3. Once chilled, remove from the freezer and place a sheet of baking parchment into the case. Fill with baking beans (pie weights) or rice and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and take out the beans and parchment, then return to the oven for a further 12 minutes until the edges are a light golden brown.
4. Place the tin on a cooling rack to cool until the pastry is just warm to the touch. Trim the excess pastry around the top edge with a serrated knife.
5. For the frangipane, put the butter, sugar, and almond extract into a saucepan over a low heat and stir until just melted. Remove from the heat and add the milk and lemon juice, then set aside. Put the flour, ground almonds, and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well. Pour the batter into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
6. Cover the base of the pastry case with the jam, spreading it out evenly. Spoon the frangipane mixture over the jam and level with a spoon. Arrange the fresh raspberries across the top and scatter over the flaked almonds.
7. Bake the tart for 28 to 30 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack until cool enough to handle before removing from the tin to cool further.
8. In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar with a teaspoon of water until smooth, then drizzle over the Bakewell to finish. Enjoy!
Adapted from the book Simply Vegan Baking by Freya Cox. Copyright © 2022 by Freya Cox. Published by Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission. Photo by Clare Winfield.
Originally featured in 3 Simple Vegan Desserts
