Bakewell Tart Slices (Wheat Free)

Recently I've been feeling a little lacking in inspiration in the kitchen, as I've just been baking the same old things for months. So, I thought I'd try something completely new and different, and try my had at making some Bakewell tart, and here's the result!

Bakewell is a town in County Derbyshire (pronounced DAR-bi-shur, for those who take that first letter E literally), and this confection is said to have been made there as far back as the mid 1800s. Nowadays, it is best known as a little individual cake manufactured by Mr Kipling, which has fondant icing and a glacé cherry on top.

Although the original Bakewell tart recipe doesn't include the aforementioned icing and cherry, the combination of pastry crust, raspberry jam, and almond sponge (also known as frangipane) is absolutely delightful. It's one of my Dad's favourite things.

Usually the name Bakewell tart conjures up the image of individual tarts in foil cases, but it is traditionally baked as a large round tart. However, I decided to go tray bake on it and make Bakewell slices.

FREE FROM

☑ Soya (check for soya lecithin)
☑ Yeast
☑ Wheat

CONTAINS
☒ Gluten
☒ Refined sugar products
☒ Dairy
☒ Eggs
☒ Nuts (Almonds)

INGREDIMENTS:
To make one 4x8 inch (10x20 centimetre) tart, which yields eight decent slices

For the base:

• 3 ounces (85 grammes) white spelt flour
• 1 ounce (30 grammes) cornflour
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) butter or margarine, at room temperature
• 1 ounce (30 grammes) icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons (60 millilitres) raspberry jam

For the filling:

• 1 ounce (30 grammes) ground almonds
• 1 ounce (30 grammes) white spelt flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) butter or margaine
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) caster sugar
• 1 medium egg
• Several drops of almond essence
• 1 fluid ounce (30 millilitres; 2 tablespoons) milk, or water or milk alternative

For the topping:

• 4 ounces (115 grammes) icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15 grammes) butter, or margarine
• Water, to mix
• 4 whole glacé cherries, halved

METHOD

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mk.4, or moderate).
• In a small mixing bowl, beat together the butter and icing sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer or wooden spoon. Add in the two flours and mix into a soft but crumbly dough.
• Tip the dough into an ungreased loaf tin and press down into a smooth and even layer. To make it easier, moisten your fingertips to stop the dough sticking to your hands.
• Spread the raspberry jam over the base in an even layer, like you were putting jam on toast. You don't want it too thick. Set aside.
• In the same bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar until fluffy with the same beaters or wooden spoon. Beat in the egg until fully mixed, then then the almond essence. Different brands have different strengths, so go by taste if you don't have an issue with raw egg: it should have a good almondy taste that's not offensively strong.
• Put the almonds, spelt flour, salt, and baking powder in a sieve. Sieve in half the ingredients into the bowl, mix in, then add the milk, mix in, then add the last of the dry ingredients and beat to a smooth batter.
• Spoon the mixture carefully over the jam in blobs, and then smooth out without disturbing the jam too much. Even out the surface, and then put in the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Once removed from the oven, cool fully in the tin on a wire rack.
• When your tart has completely cooled, make the icing. Melt the butter in a small bowl, and add in the icing sugar and mix until the icing sugar is moistened with the melted butter. Add water, a teaspoon at a time, until it is a thick but spreadable icing. Spread all over the top of the tart, and press 8 glacé cherry halves into the top of the tart, spaced evenly. 
• Allow to set for at least 3 hours. Cut unto eight even slices, trimming the sides if you like to make it neater.

The combination of crumbly, butter pastry, with the moist soft almondy sponge, and the tartness of the fruity jam, topped off with the campness of fondanty icing and glacé cherries, is absolutely wonderful; and quintessentially English. This turned out so well, and it went down very well with the family.

THIS TIME IN 2014: Spanner in the Works: White Spelt Flour No Longer Exists
THIS TIME IN 2013: Basic Sponge Cake (Wheat Free)