French love a Bakewell Tart

Following my graduation from Tante Marie Culinary Academy I had the pleasure of working as a private chalet chef in France a couple of years ago and my Bakewell Tart became a firm favourite of my weekly afternoon teas says Alasdair Nunn of RachAls Kitchen. And here's my recipe ...

Pate Sucree Pastry

300g Plain Flour

100g Caster Sugar

150g Butter

4 Egg Yolks

lTo make the pastry firstly preheat your oven to 200’C / Gas Mark 6 (180’C Fan). Cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon in a bowl for approx. 5 minutes or untilwell combined.

lThen beat in the egg yolks (one at a time) until fully incorporated into the mixture.Sift in the flour and mix with your spoon until the mixture comes together as a ball of dough.

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lTip the pastry out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out the dough and then carefully place it into a lightly buttered and floured 26cm tart case.

lPush the dough into the corners of the case, prick with a fork (all over to ensure the dough doesn’t rise) and then line the pastry case with parchment paper, fill with baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes.

lRemove the beans and parchment paper and bake for a further 5 minutes to ensure you don’t have a soggy bottom!

lRemove from the oven and cool.

Bakewell Filling

200g Butter

200g Sugar

200g Ground Almonds

3/4 Tbsp Strawberry/Raspberry Jam

4 Eggs - Beaten

50g Plain Flour

100g Chopped Glacé Cherries

100g Flaked Almonds

1 Tbsp Icing Sugar / Water

With an electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs andthen add the flour and almonds. Mix well.

To Finish

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lSpread the jam and cherries onto the cooled pastry case. Dollop the filling on top of the jam andcherry mixture and spread evenly. lSprinkle over the almonds.

lBake for approx. 30 minutes at 180’C (Fan) - If the almonds start to brown cover the tart with foil.

lMeanwhile combine the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water and transfer to a piping bag.

lOnce baked, allow to cool and then finish with a drizzle of icing sugar - Serve with a fruit coulis if desired.

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