Traditional Bakewell Tart

Ingredients:

Pastry

• 6 oz all purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 3 oz butter, cubed or an equal mix of butter and lard
• 2-3 tbsp cold water

Filling

• 2 tbsp raspberry jam
• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 3/4 cup super fine / caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs plus 1 yolk, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
• Zest of 1 medium lemon
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Directions:

Pastry

Pre-heat the oven 325 degrees.

Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean bowl.

Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough becoming warm.

Add the water to the mixture and using a cold knife stir until the dough binds together, add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.

Wrap the dough in Saran wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

Tart 

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board to ¼ inch/5mm thick. Grease and then line an 8 inch/20cm deep tart tin with the pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Line the tart case with baking/greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Cook for 15 minutes or until the pastry is a pale golden color.  Remove the baking beans, lightly brush the inside of the pastry case with a little egg white, cook for a further 5 minutes. Spread the raspberry jam onto the base of the pastry case. Leave to cool.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale in color using an electric hand whisk. Add the beaten eggs and egg yolk a little at a time. Gently fold in the ground almonds and lemon zest.

Pour the mixture in to the pastry case and gently level the surface to ensure the whole case is filled. 

Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the flaked almonds on to the surface and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and set.

Leave to cool and serve with custard sauce or cream.
 

Mango Tart

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup(s) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
8 tablespoon(s) cold butter (no substitutions), cut up
3 tablespoon(s) (or more, as needed) ice water
 

Lime Pastry Cream

1 cup(s) whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
2 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
2 tablespoon(s) butter (no substitutions)
1 teaspoon(s) grated fresh lime peel
 

Fruit Topping

2  mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1  peeled slice kiwifruit (optional)
 
 

Directions:

Lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll disk into 11-inch round. Transfer dough round to 9" by 1" round tart pan with removable bottom . Press dough onto bottom and up side of pan. Trim dough level with rim of pan; discard trimmings. Refrigerate or freeze tart shell 10 to 15 minutes to firm dough slightly before baking.

Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights, and bake about 15 minutes longer or until golden. (Cover rim of tart with foil if browning too quickly.) If center of crust puffs up during baking, gently press down with back of spoon. Cool in pan on wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare Lime Pastry Cream: In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk to simmering on medium. In small bowl, whisk yolks and granulated sugar until blended. Mix in cornstarch until smooth. While constantly beating with wire whisk, gradually pour about half of simmering milk into egg-yolk mixture. Pour egg-yolk mixture into remaining milk in saucepan and cook, whisking constantly to prevent lumping, until mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Boil 1 minute, stirring. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in butter and lime peel. Transfer pastry cream to small bowl; cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.

Spoon pastry cream into baked tart shell and spread evenly. Arrange mango slices on top; place kiwifruit slice in center. Remove tart from side of pan. Place tart, still on pan base, on serving plate. If not serving tart right away, cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Onion and Bacon Tart

Ingredients:

6 oz. slab bacon, cut into ¼″ matchsticks
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 ¼ cups milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten 

Directions:

 

Heat bacon in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; pour bacon fat into a 9″ × 11″ baking dish and set aside. Return skillet to medium-high heat, and add butter; add onions, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
 

Heat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, mustard, and pepper; add milk and eggs, and stir until smooth. Let batter rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place baking dish with bacon fat in oven and let heat for 10 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven, pour in batter, and spinkle with rendered bacon and caramelized onions; return to oven and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes.