Cherry Bakewell Tart. Traditional Yumminess.

When I was much, much, much younger my baking specialities were Bakewell tarts and apple pies both of which I haven't tried in years.  Well, until yesterday when I gave the former another go.

We invited over a lovely South African couple for a lunch and rather than serving pud we went for a breezy beach walk and then came back for tea and tart.  They had never heard of this classic English delight which, for the uninitiated, has a sweet pastry base, a layer of jam, an almond spongy topping followed by icing and glace cherries.

It is fairly simple to make and is perfect with a cup of builder's tea and a sofa.  And best of all this recipe uses almond extract mixed with cornflour rather than ground almonds, and so is much easier on the purse strings.

Traditionally the icing is omitted and its made in a round tin, but I reckon the icing is a great addition and everything is better in a rectangle.

Ingredients (makes a 10x34 cm rectangular tart or a 20 cm round tart)

For the pastry case

225 g plain flour
110 g unsalted butter
80 g caster sugar
1 large free range egg
2 tbsp milk

For the filling

3-4 tbsp good quality cherry jam (I used Bon Maman)
125 g unsalted butter
125 g caster sugar
1 large free range egg
125 g cornflour
1 tsp almond extract or essence

For the icing

125 g icing sugar, sifted
3-4 tbsp hot water

Method

1. First make the pastry case.

Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar.  Make a well in the centre and add the egg and milk and stir to form a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary.  Shape into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and pop in the fridge.

2. After 20 minutes, roll the dough between two sheets of clingfilm until large enough to line your tin.

Remove the top layer of clingfilm and gently roll into the tin pressing in the dough into the corners.  Remove the remaining layer of clingfilm.  Prick all over with a fork and place back in the fridge for 20 minutes, or until firm.

3. Heat the oven to 180C and cook the pastry case on a baking tray for 20 minutes, or until starting to turn pale golden.  Peek halfway through and if the base is rising up just gently prick it with a fork to let the air out.

4. Now make the filling.  Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sugar and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes or so (you don't want the egg to scramble in the heat).  Stir in the cornflour, egg and almond extract.

5. Take the pastry case and baking tray out of the oven, increase the heat to 200C and spread the jam evenly over the base...

...then top with the almond mixture...

...smooth the top and then pop back in the oven for 35 minutes or until risen and golden.

6. Allow to stand on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then ease out of the tin and allow to cool.
7. Now make the icing.  Place the sifted icing sugar in a bowl and gradually add the water stirring until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
8. Poor the icing over the tart and finish with halved glace cherries.

Notice the runny icing above - we couldn't wait until it set!