BAKEWELL TART ~ A VINTAGE TART

Good Morning to you,

What can you make with flour, eggs and butter.  Quite a number of things really, but I think, one of the most versatile things which you can make with these ingredients, is a pastry case.

A pastry case can be filled with so many different combinations of food. There are so many savoury foods which can be added,  such as eggs, bacon and cheese or if you prefer something sweeter, add melted chocolate mixed with  cream, to make a rich Chocolate Tart, or maybe a Tarte au Citron is more your style. The combinations are endless.

.... and as I have not baked anything sweet for a while, I thought today, I would fill my pastry case with something deliciously sweet,

strawberry jam and ground almonds, along with a few other ingredients, to make a vintage Bakewell Tart.  This Bakewell Tart was popular when I was young, and the recipe is in both Ivy's cookery book and also Phyllis' cookery book. I don't think Bakewell Tart is a popular tart to bake nowadays, which is a shame. I think I shall remedy this, by taking up the cause, of the forgotten home baked, Bakewell Tart.


Traditionally, raspberry jam is spread on the bottom of the cooked pastry case, but I had a jar of strawberry jam in the cupboard, which I had made, so I decided to use that instead. 

As this is a vintage tart, it seemed apt, that I use my 1953,  vintage, Queen Elizabeth II, Coronation plate, cup and saucer to

enjoy a slice of Bakewell Tart and what could be better than a nice cup of tea as well.

So it's on with the pinnie and the music I have chosen to listen to today is,

the amazing Joan Baez.  I had the pleasure of seeing Joan sing live in London a few years ago..... and it was pure joy to listen to her beautiful voice.  I have been a fan of hers since the 1960's, when she was singing her protest songs, and I still get the same pleasure listening to her voice now, as I did then.

Whilst I listen to Joan singing about her friend "Lily", I am organising my ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTRY

225g plain flour

115g unsalted butter

1 egg yolk

pinch of salt

1 tablespoonful of cold water

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING

115g caster sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

120g butter

75g ground almonds

2 drops of almond extract

2 tablespoonfuls of strawberry or raspberry jam

1 tablespoonful of icing sugar

YOU WILL ALSO NEED

Parchment paper

baking beans

    26cm loose bottom tart tin

Oven temperature: 180C

HOW TO MAKE

A BAKEWELL TART

Make the pastry in the usual way and place the pastry, wrapped in clingfilm, in the fridge to cool, for half an hour.

Remove the pastry from the cling film

and

roll out the pastry. 

Carefully place the pastry into

a buttered tart tin.

Allow the edges to overhang a little,

as we will cut  them away when the 

pastry case has baked.

Prick the base with a fork.

Place parchment paper into the pastry case

then 
add the baking beans.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the baking beans

and parchment paper

Cook for a further 10 minutes

or until the base is baked.

Set aside and allow the pastry case to cool.

THE FILLING

Whisk together

the eggs, egg yolks and sugar

until you have a pale, thick, creamy mixture.

I use my KitchenAid for this, as it really

does the job a lot quicker
than hand whisking,
which would be very tiring on the arm.

Whilst the eggs and sugar are mixing,

slowly melt the butter in a saucepan.
Remove from the heat.

When the eggs and sugar are the correct consistency

(pale and thick) slowly drizzle the

melted butter into the mixture,

then using a spatula,
gently incorporate the butter.

Add the ground almonds

and almond extract,

gently mix together.

When the pastry case has cooled,

using a sharp knife,

remove the pastry which is overhanging,

this will give you a nicely shaped pastry case.

Place 2 tablespoonfuls of strawberry jam

or raspberry jam

into the base

and

pour the filling into the pastry case.

Bake for 40 minutes or until

the filling is just set.

I would keep an eye on it after 35 minutes.

You want the Bakewell Tart to have a lovely
 deep golden colour.

Don't worry about the cracks which may 

appear as this does not spoil the taste,
as I think it actually increases the appeal.

Dust with icing sugar.

I find this Bakewell Tart is delicious

when eaten warm
 as the almond filling sets beautifully.

There is just one thing left to do.

Cut a slice,
sit back

 and

 enjoy.

The ingredients are virtually the same, but the method I am using is different to Ivy's and Phyllis'. In their cookery books, the butter is not melted, but beaten with the eggs.  Also the pastry is placed into the tart tin and the jam and almond mixture is added straight to the uncooked pastry case.  It was not blind baked. I did not want to do this, as I was worried that I might have an uncooked base and this would have spoilt the tart, so I opted to blind bake my pastry case, to give a nice crispy pastry.

I think in a month or so, I will bake Ivy's recipe and see how the two recipes fair against one another..... although, I must confess, I will still blind bake my pastry case.

I hope you enjoy making this vintage Bakewell Tart..... I know George enjoyed eating it.

Take care and I will see you on Sunday.

This week I will be joining,

Miz Helen's Country Cottage

and
Lynn at Turnips 2 Tangerines

and
Natasha in Oz for Say G'Day Saturday