Bakewell Tarts are classic British pastries. This version, modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine, uses store-bought preserves (I used Bonne Maman) with everything else from scratch.
If you’re in America, you’re not likely to find a Bakewell Tart unless you’re near a big city bakery; as for me, I’ve never found it for sale in the US, and I’d probably scream in delight if I came across it. I made a pointed effort to get slices more than once during my 2019 trip to the UK.
Not gonna lie, this is a dessert that takes some work. The pâte sucrée, the crust, can be done ahead of time, and that helps to space out the labor. The filling, which is a frangipane, needs to not only be mixed, but piped into the crust to help it form a consistent layer.
And of course, at the end, the tart needs a nice sweet drizzle that looks gorgeous and amps up the flavor, too. This is really the ultimate special occasion breakfast or dessert.
There are two recipes included here: the pâte sucrée and the full assemblage of the Bakewell Tart.
Bready or Not: Pâte Sucrée
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
- 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a stand mixer or by hand. beat together butter, sugar, and salt until they are pale and creamy. Add the egg. Gradually beat in the flour until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times.
- Shape the dough into a flat disk and encase in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for an least an hour, but overnight is preferred. Dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or can be frozen for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw in fridge before using.
Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- parchment paper
- 9-inch tart pan with removable plate
- pie weights
- pastry brush
- pastry bag or freezer quart bag
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Tart
- 1 pâte sucrée
- 1 large egg white lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup almond flour sifted to remove clumps
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cherry preserves
Topping
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk or half & half
Instructions
Form the crust
- If the pâte sucrée is quite firm from chilling, let it set at room temperature for about 20 minutes to make it more pliable. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick.
- Remove the base of the tart pan and trace the shape onto parchment paper. Cut paper to fit in bottom of pan and apply baking spray. Carefully transfer dough to pan, but if it falls apart, that’s okay–press it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan and up the fluted sides. Use a knife to cut excess dough from the top edge. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pan, stabbing it here and there across the whole surface. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake the crust
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees.
- Top the dough with a large piece of parchment paper, with ends extending over the sides. Add pie weights to fill the basin.
- Bake the crust for about 15 minutes. Carefully lift with the parchment and weights, setting on another pan to cool. Brush the bottom of the pan with the egg white. Continue baking for another 15 minutes; the base should look dry with the dough lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely as the filling is made. Increase oven temperature to 350-degrees.
Make the frangipane
- Beat the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla, salt, and almond extract. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually mix in both flours until just combined.
- Spoon frangipane into a pastry bag or a freezer quart bag. Cut off the tip.
- Use an uneven spatula to spread the cherry preserves over the bottom crust. Pipe the frangipane over the preserves. Use a clean uneven spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
- Bake until frangipane is set and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 20 minutes before removing the outer ring of the pan. Let tart cool completely on rack.
Add drizzle
- In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk. Spoon into a pastry bag or freezer quart bag and snip off a tiny corner. Pipe glaze back and forth over tart. Let glaze set, about 20 minutes, then dig in. Store wrapped up or in sealed container in fridge for up to 4 days.
