Iced Bakewell Tart

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I adore Bakewell Tart. Especially the layers of pastry, raspberry jam and almond sponge combined, taste utterly delicious to me. Because I love the flavours so much I have a few ‘Bakewell’ recipes on here. Usually I am content to leave the top of the sponge covered in almond flakes. While following Mary Berry’s pretty iced tart last week, on the Great British Bake Off programme, I decided to try it out. Resulting in this Iced Bakewell Tart.

FF Iced Bakewell Tart

Everything you see on and in this tart is homemade, including the raspberry jam. Which, just happens to be my favourite and is incredibly easy to make, for the recipe please see HERE . I’ll put that into a separate post, otherwise this ones going to be miles too long, we just want to get to the part where we can eat this Iced Bakewell Tart!

Adding Fresh Flowers To Enhance The Photography

Having spotted a couple of open blooms open on my rose bush, I couldn’t resist cutting them and placing the vase next to the tart. They give the photos a romantic, afternoon tea look, echoing the pink icing on the top of the tart.

As much as I enjoy coming up with new recipes and testing them to ensure they will work as well for you as they do me, I’ve also grown to enjoy the photography side of my blog. Sometimes adding a single item can transform the ‘feel’ of a photograph. My slightly wind ravaged rose has added an element of beauty, but also imperfection, which I really like. Especially as I feathered the icing all in the same direction, more on that later!!!

FF Iced Bakewell Tart
Iced Bakewell Tart a delicious raspberry and almond treat for any special occasion.

The Importance Of Sharing A Meal

With Feasting is Fun, my aim is to make each meal, recipe or bake a feast. What I mean by that is this; when time is taken to prepare good, homemade food, it should be enjoyed and the atmosphere as we feast together should be fun. Conversation across the dinner table can be one of the most important parts of the day. People relax, enjoy their meal and open up about their day.

Sitting together as a family, at least one day a week, I believe is incredibly important for the health and well being of us all. Sharing a meal more regularly is preferable, however, my hubby doesn’t get in until late some nights and I realise we are not unique in that aspect of family life.

I honestly believe, that from sharing family time, over a meal, our 3 children have grown to enjoy the same foods and meals as us, their parents. Of course they all have their preferences and  there are certain ingredients they do not eat. What we enjoy is sitting with a curry, or a couple of pizza’s and some homemade coleslaw, at the weekend, feasting both on the food and each other’s company.

FF Iced Bakewell Tart
Iced Bakewell Tart skimping on the raspberry jam simply shouldn’t happen!

Weekend Baking And Afternoon Tea

That’s why I love the idea of afternoon tea. Usually at the weekends when we tend to eat our evening meal a bit later. Mid afternoon the kettle will go on, teapot filled and we’ll feast on whatever ‘mum’s’ been making that morning. Truthfully, most of what I make on those occasions doesn’t make it to this blog. I want to enjoy the company of my family. That said on occasions when I am taking photos, once I’ve said that it’s ok for everyone to help themselves it still amazes me how quickly a cake can disappear!

I take this as a good sign that it tastes great 😉.

This tart was baked in an 25cm/10″ x 5cm/2″ deep loose bottom tart tin, the same one I use for my quiches, see here.

Recipe: Iced Bakewell Tart serves 10-12

400g Shortcrust Pastry – in my opinion the Iced Bakewell Tart is sweet enough without using sweetened shortcrust pastry, see my pastry recipe here

3-4 heaped tablespoons Raspberry  Jam

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter

150g/5.5oz Caster Sugar

1/8th tsp Salt – I use Maldon

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I always use Nielsen-Massey extracts

1/2tsp Almond Extract

3 Large Free Range Eggs

100g/4oz Ground Almonds

75g/3oz Plain White Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

For the icing:

350g White Icing Sugar

1/2 tsp Almond Extract

Alternatively for an un-iced finish you will need 25g flaked almonds

Method : Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan, gas mark 7, 425F

Just a quick note about the pastry case – usually I trim any excess pastry from the tin, chill for 30 minutes in the fridge and then bake. When I baked this tart I was really pushed for time, so baked with an overlapping of pastry which was them trimmed after baking. I would thoroughly recommend trimming the pastry prior to baking for a neater edge. I also had a couple of problems with the pastry sticking right near the top.

Making And Blind Baking The Shortcrust Pastry Tart Shell

  • Roll the pastry fairly thinly, about the depth of a £1 coin and line the tart tin – note when using homemade pastry I never grease the tart tin, however if you are unsure of how non stick your tin is brush lightly with some cooled melted butter.
  • Dock the bottom of the pastry case with a fork to keep it flat during baking.
  • Cut a large piece of baking parchment, screw it into a ball and then line your pastry tart case with it and fill with baking/ceramic beans.
  • Place in the middle of the oven and ‘blind bake’ for 15 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes baking has elapsed, remove the tart from the oven. Lift out the baking beans using the baking parchment and place the tart back into the oven for a further 10 minutes, until it is golden and cooked on the base.

Making The Almond Cake Layer

  • In a large bowl whisk/beat together the butter, sugar and salt until it is very pale and creamy.
  • Add in the almond and vanilla extract and whisk/beat until incorporated.
  • Next add all 3 eggs and whisk/beat for a minute.
  • Remove the whisk, add in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds. Using a large spoon fold these ingredients into the mix until they are just combined.

Assembling And Baking The Bakewell Tart

  • Once the baked tart case has cooled slightly, spoon the raspberry jam into the centre and spread it, using the back of the spoon, so that it almost reaches the rim.
  • Now spoon over the almond sponge, starting from the outside and working towards the centre. The almond sponge will cover and seal the jam in. Thus stopping the jam from leeching out the side and on to the top of the sponge.
  • If you are baking an un-iced tart sprinkle the top with flaked almonds.
FF Iced Bakewell Tart
Lining, baking and filling the baked tart case.
  • Reduce the oven heat to 190C/170C fan, gas mark 5, 375F.
  • Place the jam and almond sponge filled tart back into the middle of the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, until the sponge is golden and firm to the touch, without wobbling in the centre – mine took 45 minutes.
  • As soon as the tart is baked remove from the oven and allow to cool.
FF Iced Bakewell Tart
Beautifully Golden this cooked Tart was quickly snapped with the #GBBOTwitterBake Along in case I ran out of time!

 

An in-iced Bakewell tart finished with flaked almonds.
Baked un-iced Bakewell Tart topped with flaked almonds.

Icing The Bakewell Tart

  • Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the almond extract and enough water, I used approximately 30mls, to form a thick but pourable paste, once stirred together.
  • Remove 2tbsp of icing to a small bowl, add the tip of a cocktail stick, that has been dipped in pink gel icing and stir. Aim for a pale pink colour, however if you’d like a deeper pink, go for it! Place your coloured glacé icing into a small piping bag.
  • Keeping the 2 icings very separate, pour the pure white icing over the tart. Start in the centre use an offset spatula to push it to the edges.
  • Snip the end off of the small icing bag and pipe horizontal lines of pink icing across the white icing, separated by 5cm/2″, from edge to edge. Work fairly quickly as you want both icings to still be unset when you drag through, with a cocktail stick.

Feathering Piping Effect

  • Using a cocktail stick, again with a spacing of 5cm/2″, place the tip of the skewer at the top of the icing and drag it through to the bottom. Reversing from bottom to top next time. You can see, during the rush to complete my tart on time, I pulled my icing all in the same direction. Oh the pressure!
  • Below is a photo of my tart with my one directional feathering (if it can be called that) compare with the accurate feathering of my Cherry Almond Sandwich Cake.
FF Iced Bakewell Tart
You can see hire effective proper 2 directional feathering is here.
  • As the glacé icing is quite thick, leave for a good 2-3 hours before serving.

Place your Iced Bakewell Tart on a pretty plate or stand and serve with a drink of your choice. Mid morning with a steaming mug of coffee or a pot of tea mid afternoon.

FF Iced Bakewell Tart
Iced Bakewell Tart perfect at anytime.

If you enjoy the flavour of almonds and raspberry together, this Iced Bakewell Tart is really worth making.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Iced Bakewell Tart you may also like these:

Raspberry Almond Cream Cake

Raspberry Almond Cream Cake
Raspberry Almond Cream Cake

Bakewell Shortbread Bars

Bakewell Shortbread Bars
Bakewell Shortbread Bas

Cherry Bakewell Cookies

 

Cherry Bakewell Cookies
Cherry Bakewell Cookies

While talking about family time and feasting together, my intention certainly is not to preach. In truth, I eat far too many meals away from my family, in bed, due to my health. Rather what I’m trying to say I say, is, that when you have the opportunity, make the most of it!

Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun remembering times spent and times to come feasting with friends and family.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

 

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Bakewell Shortbread Bars

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Hello my lovely readers, I have a real star of a recipe today. If you have spent anytime on this site, then you’ll know I’m a bit bonkers about all the flavours in a Bakewell Tart. And so I have made these very delicious Bakewell Shortbread Bars.

A stack of biscuit based baked treats with descriptive graphics for Pinterest

 

These actually came about by accident, sometimes that’s the best way with recipes! Because I had made some vanilla shortbread dough, which I had planned to turn into chocolate dipped hearts. Anyway, what with one thing and another, I didn’t get around to making them. Update: I have made them and the recipe is here Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Heart Cookies.

So, a couple of weeks ago, on a Sunday, Hubby was running through what we had for packed lunches that week. I hadn’t managed to make any Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks eek – then I had a moment of inspiration. These Bakewell Shortbread Bars are the result of me needing to make something delicious, that also travels well.

Bakewell Shortbread Bars

What a massive hit these have been with my family, ooh and me!

All the flavour of a Bakewell Tart

While the buttery shortbread base gives these Bakewell Shortbread Bars a sturdiness that is needed when food is to be transported. Topped with delicious raspberry jam, giving a hint of tart sweetness and then covered in a light, tender almond sponge with flaked almonds added for crunch, flavour and decoration.

Although I love Bakewell Tart, what I really love about this recipe, is that there isn’t any pie crust to roll out. With a pastry crust I certainly don’t want a big, thick wodge of it at the bottom of my bar, whereas, using shortbread dough I am more than happy to have a decently thick base.

A stack of baked biscuit based, jam filled treats on a white plate.
Bakewell Shortbread Bars

Perfect Picnic Food

Because these Bakewell Shortbread Bars hold together well I will definitely be making them for picnics throughout the warmer months. I am not a fan of packing up food for lunches or picnics that is overly sweet or has any form of icing. I guess it just becomes too much of a bug magnet, or even worse wasps – and both cupcakes and iced cakes simply get too messy. Although our children are in their teens now, I want to relax while eating outside, not constantly dodging bugs or clearing up melted buttercream.

And that is NOT my idea of fun!

Actually, one year that we went to the beach with a big croud of friends, I made a fruit cake and a lemon drizzle cake (I know but the lemon drizzle only had a little bit of icing). I pre-cut them, popped the cakes into tins and mid afternoon we all had a cup of tea and slice of cake. I remember it being a very relaxing happy day and these Bakewell Shortbread Bars would certainly have travelled well and been enjoyed. A must bake for this year’s beach outings!

Now when I say this recipe is simple, it really is, the only slight faff is pre-cooking the shortbread. And I only say slight, because whilst the shortbread is cooking it is the perfect time to whip up the sponge.

Recipe: Makes 12 Bakewell Shortbread Bars

For the shortbread:

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature plus 1tbsp for greasing the tin

150g/5oz Caster Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

1 Large Egg Yolk – I always use free range

275g/10oz Plain White Flour

1/4 tsp Sea Salt I use Maldon

For the cake batter:

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

175g/6oz Caster Sugar

3 Large Free Range Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Extract

3/4 tsp Almond Extract

100g/4oz Ground Almonds

50g/2oz Plain White Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of salt

175g/ Approx 1/2 Standard Jar of Raspberry Jam – I use Hartley’s

50g/2oz Flaked Almonds

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F.

You will need a swiss roll tin 28cm x 20cm x 5cm (12″ x 8″ x 2″) greased with butter and lined with baking parchment.

Making the shortbread base:

  • In a large bowl whisk/beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.
  • Add the vanilla extract and egg yolk and whisk/beat until combined.
  • Sift the flour and salt into the bowl.
  • Mix using a spoon until the dough comes together.
  • Tip the dough out on to some cling film. Wrap up the dough into a disc shape and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
  • Once chilled break the dough up into large pieces and place them into the prepared tin.
  • Using clean hands, press the shortbread dough into the tin so that it forms a uniform layer.
  • Dock the shortbread dough using a fork.
FF Bakewell Shortbread Bars
The shortbread base ready for the oven.
  • Place the tin into the centre of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the tin after 10 minutes and spread the jam over the part cooked shortbread. Leave a small gap between the jam and the edge of the shortbread.
  • Turn the oven temperature down to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.
FF Bakewell Shortbread Bars
The part cooked shortbread is slathered in raspberry jam.

Making the almond cake batter, assembling the Bakewell Shortbread Bars and then baking them:

  • In a large bowl whisk/beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
  • Add the vanilla and almond extract and the 3 whole eggs. Whisk/beat for 1 minute.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, ground almonds and salt.
  • And then mix slowly until the batter is just combined.
  • Spoon the cake batter over the jam coated shortbread.
FF Bakewell Shortbread Bars
Almond sponge is spooned on top of the raspberry jam covered shortbread.
  • Use an offset palette knife, or the back of a spoon to carefully spread the cake batter so that it almost covers the top of the shortbread, Don’t worry it will spread out during baking,
  • Sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
Bakewell Shortbread Bars
Ready for the oven. 
  • Place the tin into the centre of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. It is fully baked when the top is golden and feels firm to the touch.
  • As soon as it is baked remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.
FF Bakewell Shortbread Bars
How gorgeous does this look?

Portioning the Bars

  • When completely cold run a knife around both long sides of the tin.
  • Using the spare parchment paper, lift the cake covered shortbread free from the tin.
  • Cut down the middle length of the bake.
  • Then cut across the width, in the middle.
  • Now cut each quarter into 3 bars.
  • Use a palette knife to lift the Bakewell Shortbread Bars free from the baking parchment.

Flaked almond tops almond sponge followed by raspberry jam and a shortbread base. Cut into bars that are ideal for picnics and packed lunches.

How great do these Bakewell Shortbread Bars look? They can also be cut into squares for tasty party bites.

Store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

See! So easy to make. And such a brilliant addition to a packed lunch, picnic or just to have with a cup of tea or coffee.

I love recipes that are easy, yet produce stunning results. This is one of those recipes. Because all of the flavours work so well together, a buttery shortbread base, sweet and tart raspberry jam topped with almond sponge. The perfect combination. Finally you can have your cake and cookie all in one tasty Bakewell Shortbread Bar!

If you have enjoyed these Bakewell Shortbread Bars, here are some other recipes you might like to try:

Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks

FF Bakewell Shortbread Bars
Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks perfect to grab and go.

Coconut Date Almond Flapjacks

FF Coconut Date Almond Flapjacks
Coconut Date Almond Flapjacks healthy food to go.

Oat Topped Lemon Shortbread Bars

FF Bakewell Shortbread Bars
Oat Topped Lemon Shortbread Bars

Do you have favourite recipes for making good food to go?

Also, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate it and love reading them. If you are on Twitter or Instagram please pop a photo up and tag me in. I love to see what you are baking and making in your kitchens and will happily retweet your pictures.

So, whatever you are making, have lots of fun making your feasts and sharing with friends and family.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

You may also like these:

Cherry Bakewell Cookies

Cherry and almond cookies.
Cherry Bakewell Cookies

 

 

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