BAKEWELL TART - THE DARING BAKERS

Ladies and Gents, once again, it is time for me to reveal this month's "Daring Bakers" challenge. The June Daring Bakers' challenge is hosted by Jasmine of "Confessions Of A Cardamom Addict" (Canada) and Annemarie of "Ambrosia And Nectar" (UK). They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England...

Being half English and having visited the Derbyshire area in the East Midlands many times since I was born, I can say that I know quite well both versions of the "Bakewell Tart/Pudding" (the homemade "Bakewell Tart" and the original as well as unmatchable "Bakewell Pudding" baked by "The Old Original Pudding Company" from the small market town of Bakewell) and have eaten my share of that delicious speciality since I saw the light of day in the seventies. So, it is with much joy that I undertook to bake that wonderful dessert course which is indissociable from the English culinary patrimony and from my family's Derbyshire roots.

But before I start speaking about that great treat, I'd like to make light on the common misnaming of that speciality. It is to be said that the local confection "Bakewell Pudding" is often mistaken for the "Bakewell Tart" and people tend to be confused when it comes to differenciating them from one another.

Both patries are a little similar ingredients-wise (jam, pastry and almond filling), yet they are so different in flavor, texture and appearance. What demarcate a "Bakewell Pudding" from a "Bakewell Tart" is that the first is a puddingy jam pie (it somehow reminds me of clafoutis encased in pastry) with an egg and a ground almond enriched filling, encased in flaky pastry and the second is a straight-forward jam filled tart which is made with shortcrust pastry and a frangipane or a sponge topping.

While everybody can make a "Bakewell Tart" at home as the recipes abund on the net/in books and find it in bakeries all over the UK, you can't find the original "Bakewell Pudding" recipe anywhere and can only buy that special treat in Bakewell as the original 1820's recipe is kept secret and is known by only a few people who work in the both bakeries ("Bloomers Old and Only Original" and "The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop") situated in that very town of the Peak District National Park.

As you might have guessed by now, both pies just can't be compared. But, in my opinion both versions are exquisite, so I refuse to play the high-nosed traditionalist or food fascist who only swears in the ultra rare version and snobs the most spread one; I'll eat them both with much pleasure and gluttony!

Well, this is surely the very fist time that a Daring Bakers recipe hasn't made my adrenaline flow rise or stressed me. That is a good point as, for once, I could relax while baking and, as it is a tart that I have baked many times before, I knew that I could take that challenge easily...

Everything went well and the result was highly satisfying. According to my boyfriend, "It looked and tasted perfect. Just like a tart you'd find in a bakery or even better". Well, I must say that it was one of the best "Bakewell Tart" recipes I have made so far!

As I like sharp jams, I decided to use homemade blackcurrant jam in order to create an interesting contrast with the round sweetness of this tart's frangipane filling. That combo was absolutely luscious. The pastry was gorgeously flaky as well as buttery, yet not overly or sickeningly rich. The filling was smooth, luxurious and delightfully almondy. Terrific! What an ambrosial "Bakewell Tart" that was neither too cloying nor chockingly stuffy!

If you love English, old-fashioned teatime confections, then this luscious tart just what you are looking for!

I really want to thank Jasmine and Annemarie for having chosen that recipe dear to my little heart!

~ Bakewell Tart ~
Recipe by Jasmine and Annemarie.

Makes one 23cm (9” tart).

Prep. time: Less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements, see below)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

Equipment needed:
23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges)
Rolling pin
One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup/250g) Jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds (optional)

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Shortcrust Pastry

Prep. time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) All purpose flour
30g (1oz) Castor sugar
2.5ml (1/2 Tsp) Salt
110g (4oz) Unsalted butter, very cold (frozen is better)
2 Egg yolks
2.5ml (1/2 Tsp) Almond extract (optional/I didn't use any)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) Cold water

Method:
1. Sift together flour, sugar and salt.
2. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater.

3. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.
4. Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture.
5. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.
6. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Jasmine's remarks:
I make this using vanilla salt and vanilla sugar.
If you wish, you can substitute the seeds of one vanilla bean, one teaspoon of vanilla paste or one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the almond extract.

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Frangipane

Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

Ingredients:
125g (4.5oz) Unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) Icing sugar
3 Large eggs
2.5ml (1/2 Tsp) Almond extract
125g (4.5oz) Ground almonds
30g (1oz) All purpose flour

Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy.

2. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine).
3. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again.
4. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well (The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look - mostly from the almonds - and retain its pallid yellow colour).

Annemarie’s remarks:
Add another five minutes or more if you're grinding your own almonds or if you're mixing by hand (heaven help you).

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Assembling the tart

1. Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface (If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out).
2. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll.
3. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough.
4. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits.
5. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 200° C (400° F).

7. Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base.
8. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart.
9. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes.
10. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking (The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking).
11. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter.

Jasmine’s & Annemarie's remarks:
If you cannot have nuts, you can try substituting Victoria sponge for the frangipane. It's a pretty popular popular cake, so you shouldn't have any troubles finding one in one of your cookbooks or through a Google search.
You can use whichever jam you wish, but if you choose something with a lot of seeds, such as raspberry or blackberry, you should sieve them out.
The jam quantity can be anywhere from 60ml (1/4 cup) to 250ml (1cup), depending upon how “damp” and strongly flavoured your preserves are. I made it with the lesser quantity of home made strawberry jam, while Annemarie made it with the greater quantity of cherry jam; we both had fabulous results. If in doubt, just split the difference and spread 150ml (2/3cup) on the crust.
The excess shortcrust can be rolled out and cut into cookie-shapes (heck, it’s pretty darned close to a shortbread dough).

Serving suggestions:
Serve warm or at room temperature, with crème fraîche, whipped cream, clotted cream or custard sauce, if you wish.

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Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!

C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur les blogs mentionnés ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.

Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carrée" (Canada)
Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)