Forty years ago when I was a teenager my mum gave me a Woman's Own cook book that was published in 1964. It has blank pages in the back for your own recipes and that is where I wrote the Tunis Cake recipe and this one for mini Bakewell tarts. If you've been to Bakewell then you will know that what they make is Bakewell pudding and it is nothing like what has become known as a Bakewell tart, that is a pastry case with jam in the base and an almond flavoured sponge filling with or without icing. Have you noticed that nowadays the sponge hardly tastes of almond at all? I made these on Good Friday and ate the last one this morning, everybody loved them. You can use ready made shortcrust pastry if you wish but if you have a food processor it takes five minutes to whip up your own. Blend 2oz (50g) butter with 2oz (50g)lard with a pinch of salt and 8oz (250g) plain flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add 3 tbsp. of cold water and blend to a dough. Knead lightly till smooth then wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then just roll it out and use it. This makes 12oz (350g) pastry.
BAKEWELL TARTS
12oz shortcrust pastry
jam
4oz butter
4oz sugar
3oz self raising flour
1oz ground almonds
2 eggs
almond essence
Preheat the oven to Gas 4/350F/180C
Cream the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy
Beat in the eggs one at a time with a little flour if required to stop the mixture curdling
Fold in the flour and almonds and add essence to your own personal taste
Line jam tart tins with pastry and put a little jam in the base of each one
Top with a heaped teaspoon of sponge mixture
Bake till golden brown and leave to cool
Ice if desired
This recipe makes at least 20 cakes
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