Cherry Bakewell Bars
Cherry Bakewell Bars are a delicious treat inspired by the classic British Bakewell Tart. They consist of a shortcrust pastry base topped with a layer of cherry jam, followed by an almond-flavored sponge cake layer, and finished with sweet Glacé cherries.
Prep time: 25 mins, plus chilling and cooling time
Bake time: 40 mins
Makes: 24
Equipment:
Tala Performance Baking Tray 39cm x 27cm
Tala FSC Revolving Rolling Pin
Tala Dusty Pink Stoneware Mixing Bowl
Tala 3 Open Tip Nozzles with Icing Bag
Ingredients:
Base
450g shortcrust pastry
400g cherry jam
Frangipane
100g unsalted butter, melted
90g caster sugar
200g ground almonds
100g plain flour, sifted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
Icing
400g icing sugar
3-4 tbsp water
1 teaspoon almond extract
Red food colouring
To finish
Glacé cherries
Method:
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until large enough to cover a 39.5cm x 27cm greased tray. Lift the pastry over a rolling pin, then press it over the base of the tray. Prick the base with a fork then bake blind in a preheated oven to 200°C/180°C/gas mark 6 for 10 mins.
- Let cool down a bit then spread the jam all over the pastry base with the help of a spatula.
- Make the frangipane. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until fluffy. Fold in the butter, almond extract, ground almonds and flour.
- Transfer the frangipane mixture to a large piping bag, cut the tip off then pipe it out all over the jam base.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and bake for 30 min.
- Leave to cool down completely before icing.
- Make the icing. Beat together the icing sugar, water and almond extract. Pour it over the tart but keep a few tbsp.
- Add some red food colouring to the leftover icing then transfer it to a small piping bag fitted with a 2mm plain round nozzle.
- Pipe some parallel lines of red icing on the white icing then drag a toothpick across the lines to create a fathered effect.
- Add some glacé cherries to decorate.
- Divide the tart into 24 equal squares.
- Enjoy!