Bakewell tart

By mutzali

Ingredients

• For the sweet shortcrust pastry:
• •8 oz all purpose flour
• •1 oz sugar
• •1/2 tsp salt
• •4 oz unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
• •2 large egg yolks
• •1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• •1-2 Tbsp ice-cold water
• For the frangipane:
• •4.5 oz unsalted butter, softened
• •4.5 oz icing sugar, sifted
• •3 large eggs
• •1/2 tsp almond extract
• •4.5 oz ground almonds
• •1 oz all purpose flour
• 2/3 c jam

Preparation

Step 1

Make the sweet shortcrust pastry:

Sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter, cut into chunks. In a food processor, pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, butter a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it’s overly cold, let it sit at room temperature to soften slightly before rolling it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the dough into about 1/8-inch thickness. Fit into the 9-inch tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with the trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for at least 15 minutes and up to several days (wrap well after the shells (shell) are frozen).

Make the frangipane:

Cream the butter and sugar together for about a minute, until the mixture is light and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear curdled. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds, scrape down the sides again. Mix in the ground nuts and flour until combined.

Assemble and bake the tart:

If you are making one large tart, the crust has to be prebaked before filling with jam and frangipane. Cool completely on a cooling rack before filling the shell. Use about 2/3 cup of the jam for the filling.

Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 400F.

Remove the shells from the freezer (no need to defrost them), spoon about a teaspoon of jam into each mini-mold. Top with the frangipane, filling slightly below the rim of the tart shells. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for about 30-35 minutes. The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, puffy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.