Classic Bakewell tart with Cherries - Daring Bakers

"The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. 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."

After much experimenting lately I wanted to do a fairly classic tart. Sometimes we spend so much time looking for new and exciting things, it becomes comforting to have something familiar and traditional. We crave something reliable, something habitual. I made a Bakewell Tart with Black Doris Plum Jam and Sweet Red Cherries pushed into the frangipane filling.

1x Pie Shell (21cm x 2.5cm)
1 Cup Black Doris Plum jam
150g Butter, unsalted
150g Caster Sugar
175g Blanched Almonds, ground
2x Eggs, lightly beaten
12 Cherries

Par-bake pie shell for 12min.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Fold in almonds and eggs.
Heat jam slightly and spread over the base of the pie shell.
Top with frangipane mix.
Push cherries lightly into frangipane mix.
Bake for 60min at 180C.

Enjoy with a nice cup of tea, while thinking about your next adventure.

Blackcurrant and Tamarillo Frangipane Tart

Such a mixed week has gone by, just when you think your starting to untangle the giant ball of wool that is life, you look around and realise you have simply gotten tangled in the mess...

Tomorrow is another wonderful 'Whisky, Wine, Sugar and Spice and all things Delicious' evening at work, where the idea is to bring along a bottle of your favourite drink and food to accompany. I decided on wine and of course pie, now what pie to bring.... As my heart is a bit heavy this week I have a winter version of the Sad Red Strawberry Pie. Blood red blackcurrants and blood red tamarillo mixed with a comforting frangipane filling. The base is lined with chocolate to protect the delicate pastry and contain all the wonderful red juice...

1x Pie Shell, par-cooked, 21cm
60g Chocolate, melted
1 Cup Blackcurrants
2Tbs Corn Flour
2Tbs Sugar
150g Butter, unsalted
150g Caster Sugar
175g Blanched Almonds, ground
2x Eggs
Ix Tamarillo, peeled and segmented

Brush the melted chocolate into the pie shell.
In a bowl mix the blackcurrants, cornflour and first measure of sugar, tip into pie shell.
Whisk butter and second measure of sugar until light and fluffy.
Fold in almonds and eggs until smooth.
Lightly press frangipane mix over blackcurrants until the berries are covered.
Decorate with tamarillo segments.
Bake for 45min at 180C or until golden on top.

Enjoy with a cold, sweet glass of wine while listening to the winter rain falling on the roof and thinking of those that you cherish but can't be with.

Apple, Walnut & Frangipane Tart

What is more Autumn then juicy apples and fresh walnuts. Every day when I walk outside there are walnuts everywhere to be collected from my wonderful walnut tree, what a better use for walnuts then adding them to a lovely frangipane mix and topping with tasty apples.

1x Pie Shell, biscuit shell below or sweet short.
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1tsp baking soda
350g Blanched Almonds, ground
300g Butter, Unsalted
300g Caster Sugar
3x Eggs
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped
1x Apple, sliced thinly

Soak dates in baking soda and 1 cup boiling water for 30min.
Whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Fold in almonds and eggs until smooth, stir in the walnuts.
Freeze half of the frangipane mix for another pie.
Spread drained dates over pie base.
Fill pie shell with frangipane mix and decorate with apple slices.
Bake for 1hr at 180C, or until golden.
Remove from oven and brush apple slices with apricot jam or honey.
(If using biscuit pie shell, bake with a tray underneath as you will get butter leaking out of the pie)

Biscuit Pie Shell
220g plain biscuits, crushed (I used girl guide)
75g Butter, softened
1x Egg
1 tsp Cinnamon
Zest 1 Lemon

Mix biscuits, butter, egg, cinnamon and zest together.
Press evenly into 21cm pie dish, bake at 180C for 6min.