Recreating Mary Berry's Classic Bakewell Tart
Mary Berry's Bakewell tart recipe stands as a quintessential British dessert, ideal for any gathering or teatime treat. This beloved pudding originates from the Derbyshire town of Bakewell, with its history dating back to the 19th century. It remains a cherished staple in British baking, celebrated for its sweet, nutty flavour and delicate, buttery texture.
A Surprisingly Simple Process
Mary Berry offers an extensive collection of traditional recipes online, including her version of the Bakewell tart. Recently, I attempted to make this classic dessert and found it remarkably straightforward. The only slightly challenging aspect was preparing the shortcrust pastry from scratch. According to the recipe description on BBC Food, "For those that only like a little icing, Mary's drizzled version of the classic Bakewell tart will be a hit at teatime."
Ingredients for Mary Berry's Bakewell Tart
For the shortcrust pastry:
- 175g plain flour
- 75g chilled butter
- Three tablespoons of cold water
For the filling:
- Four tablespoons of raspberry jam
- 125g butter
- 125g caster sugar
- 125g ground almonds
- One free-range egg, beaten
- Half a teaspoon of almond extract
- 50g flaked almonds
For the icing:
- 80g icing sugar
Step-by-Step Method
To prepare the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and work in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually incorporate the water, mixing until a soft dough forms. While Mary suggests rolling the dough directly onto a floured surface, I opted to chill it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes first. After chilling, roll it out and gently press it into a 20cm flan tin. Place this in the fridge for an additional 30 minutes to chill thoroughly.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan. Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill it with baking beans; if you lack baking beans, rice serves as an effective alternative. Bake blind for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper, and cook the case for another five minutes. Allow it to cool completely.
For the filling, spread the pastry base generously with raspberry jam. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove it from the heat and stir in the sugar. Add the ground almonds, beaten egg, and almond extract, stirring to combine thoroughly. Pour this mixture into the flan tin and scatter over the flaked almonds if desired.
Bake for 35 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool completely. Mix the icing sugar into a thick consistency, transfer it to a piping bag, and drizzle over the Bakewell tart in any pattern you fancy.
A Delicious and Impressive Result
This pudding proved to be one of the finest bakes I have ever created, looking truly impressive yet remaining straightforward to make. The pastry had a delicious, crisp crust, and the texture and flavour of the tart were absolutely delightful. My entire family enjoyed it immensely, and it was consumed very quickly, a testament to its success.
