Description
A delightful Mary Berry-inspired Cherry Bakewell Tart featuring a buttery shortcrust pastry filled with tart cherry jam and almond frangipane. This classic British dessert is topped with sliced almonds and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, offering a perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pastry:
- 1 2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour (225 g / 8 oz.)
- 11 tablespoons Butter, chilled (150 g / 5.5 oz.)
- 1/4 cup Confectioners’ Sugar (25 g / 1 oz.)
- 1 Large Egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons Ice Water, plus more if necessary
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
For the Filling:
- 1/3 cup Tart Cherry Jam (or substitute your favorite jam)
- 11 tablespoons Butter, softened (150 g / 5.5 oz.)
- 3/4 cup Granulated or Baker’s Sugar (150 g)
- 1 1/2 cups Almond Flour or Finely Ground Almonds (150 g / 5.5 oz.)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Large Egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
For Topping:
- 1/3 cup Sliced Almonds
- 1 tablespoon Confectioners’ Sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Make the Pastry Dough: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of ice water, mixing gently with a fork or your hands until the dough just comes together. If the dough is too dry, add additional ice water, a teaspoon at a time, to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Tart Shell: Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan or 9-inch springform pan with a removable bottom. Carefully press the dough into the pan, trimming any excess. Chill the shell in the fridge for 10 minutes to prevent shrinking during baking.
- Blind Bake the Pastry Shell: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 5-7 minutes until the base is lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Add the Cherry Jam: Spread the tart cherry jam evenly over the baked pastry shell, creating a smooth layer as the base for the almond filling.
- Make the Almond Filling: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg and almond extract, mixing well. Fold in the almond flour and salt until fully combined, forming a smooth frangipane batter.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the almond frangipane evenly over the cherry jam layer in the tart shell. Smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden brown.
- Cool and Finish: Remove the tart from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, gently remove from the tart pan. Before serving, dust the top with sifted confectioners’ sugar for a beautiful finishing touch.
- Serve and Store: For best flavor, refrigerate the tart for several hours or overnight. This also makes slicing easier and cleaner. Serve chilled or at room temperature in slices.
Notes
- This recipe is adapted from Mary Berry’s Bakewell Tart from The Great British Baking Show, with modifications including the use of tart cherry jam instead of homemade raspberry jam, topping with sliced almonds and confectioners’ sugar instead of icing, and added salt for balance.
- Using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients by weight, as noted, is recommended for best results.
- Special equipment: 9″ tart pan or 9″ springform pan with a removable bottom is needed for shaping the tart perfectly.
- The tart’s flavor improves if made a day in advance and kept refrigerated, which also makes slicing neater.
- Cherry jam selection impacts flavor; choose a high-quality tart cherry jam for best taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of tart)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
