Mary Berry’s Bakewell Tart Recipe with a twist! (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a Cherry Bakewell and a Bakewell tart? ›

When topped with half a candied cherry, the Bakewell Tart is then known as a Cherry Bakewell. Cherry Bakewells are usually small, designed as individual portions. Bakewell Tarts, on the other hand, are generally 8-9 inches across and designed to be shared in slices.

The Bakewell Tart, on the other hand, was developed as a variant of the Pudding later in the 20th century. The Tart's base is made from sweet shortcrust pastry, which is then layered with seedless strawberry jam and finished with a pale, fluffy frangipane sponge filling of eggs, almonds and sugar.

Try to avoid opening the oven before 15 minutes have passed, as the delicate structure of the frangipane means they have a tendency to sink. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Pipe each tart with a dab of buttercream, then top with a fresh cherry and some toasted flaked almonds.

About our Bakewell tart recipe

It's a real 'make your tummy happy' tart. What's not to love? Buttery crisp shortcrust pastry base, squidgy almondy frangipan middle, and soft runny icing with delicate feathering and the finishing touch is literally “the cherry on top”.

Frangipane is also a key component in Bakewell Tart, where it teams up with jam as a filling between layers of pastry. And it's imperative in Bostock, a breakfast pastry made by saturating slices of day-old brioche with sugar syrup, then slathering on frangipane and baking until golden.

A Bakewell tart is a pastry consisting mostly of almond custard (known as frangipane) and raspberry jam. The crust is typically a blind-baked, crumbly shortcrust rather than a flaky pie crust. Raspberry jam layers the bottom while frangipane covers the top.

The filling will firm up as it cools and is best sliced and served while just warm (allow to cool for 10-15 mins once out of the oven) or once completely cold. This makes it a great dessert to prepare ahead; the baked tart will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container.

The word frangipane is a French term used to name products with an almond flavour. The word comes ultimately from the last name of Marquis Muzio Frangipani or Cesare Frangipani. The word first denoted the frangipani plant, from which was produced the perfume originally said to flavor frangipane.

Soggy bottoms

And finally, the most frustrating pastry problem of all – the soggy bottom. This normally happens when the oven is not hot enough or the pastry is not baked for long enough. However, it can also be because too much water was added to the dough.

Why is my cake pale yellow instead of golden brown? ›

Likewise, if your cake isn't brown enough it is likely because it is under-cooked or the recipe used insufficient egg or sugar.

As long as it has risen and browned slowly, you are near the end of the cooking time. How do you know when frangipane is cooked? The cream will have risen and puffed when properly cooked. It should have a nice golden color.

The Bakewell tart developed as a variant of the Bakewell pudding in the 20th century. Although the terms Bakewell tart and Bakewell pudding have been used interchangeably, each name refers to a specific dessert recipe.

Frangipane is a rich, cream-based filling, while marzipan is a thick paste mostly used for decorative purposes. The main thing they have in common is the almonds required to make each one, but beyond that, they're wildly different — especially in consistency — meaning you'll find them used differently, too.

Frangipane is one of those classic French pastry preparations, made with a finely ground mixture of half almonds and half sugar. This blend of almonds and sugar is known as TPT (tant pour tant) in French pastry-speak, which translates as "so much X for so much" or equal amounts.

A Cherry Bakewell, also known as a Bakewell cake, is a version of the tart where the frangipane is covered with a top layer of almond-flavoured fondant and a single half glacé cherry.

It was officially included in Eliza Acton's cookbook “Modern Cookery for Private Families” in 1845 and was formally named the 'Bakewell pudding' after it was discovered in the town of Bakewell, Derbyshire. In 1900 the pudding developed into the tart.

Bakewell Tart may be more familiar to many of us in the UK than Bakewell Pudding, but it is the pudding (essentially a 'tart' because it is open and has a pastry base – yes, very confusing!) that is probably the most famous culinary export of this small market town in the Peak District National Park.

The iconic Bakewell Tart Shop, located in the beautiful town of Bakewell in the heart of the Peak District, has been the home of the traditional Bakewell Tart for over a hundred years.