Bakewell Tart

Oct 26, 2023

Bakewell tart sounds like something you’d search the recipe for in a Mrs Beeton’s Cookbook, back in the 1950s. The last time I ate it was certainly the last century. How about you?
I’m so glad to re-discover it. This pud really is a little classic. It’s a buttery, almondy, fruity comfort concoction and bloody delicious!

I decided to try making one as a cake for on the go – no icing to come off in the bottom of the bag. But it really comes into its own as the dessert its meant to be - slightly warmed to bring out the wonderful flavour combo, with a big fat dollop of crème fraiche on top.

Apart from adapting this tart to low carb and minimal sugars, I’ve added a couple of other little tweaks to the recipe. There’s some grated courgette added to the almond sponge mix (stay with me here!). Courgettes give extra lightness and moistness to a cake sponge. I’ve also replaced the pastry base for a more flavoursome, less austere shortbread.

Preparing 3 layers of pudding can be a really satisfying way to spend a rainy weekend afternoon. But I recommend approaching this pudding Blue Peter style too – preparing the base and jam layers on one day and making the sponge layer the next. Whatever cake tactics you employ, rest assured it will be so worth the effort.

Ingredients are for 23cm square tin

Shortbread Layer
100g almond flour
35g coconut flour
3 tbsp sweetener* (milled preferably)
100g melted butter
1 tsp vanilla paste
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

Jam Layer
150 frozen fruit (mixed berries or raspberries)
2 tbsp chia seeds

Almond Sponge Layer
150g almond flour
125g courgette
3 eggs
3 tbsp sweetener*
70g butter
1 tbsp almond essence
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
A handful of flaked almonds.

*Natural sweetener options could include xylitol, erythritol, allulose. Allulose won't need to be milled.See Alternative Sweeteners page for more info. Each will have slightly different levels of sweetness. Adjust to taste.

Pre-heat the oven to Gas mark 4/180C
Line a 23cm square cake tin with baking paper.

Shortbread Layer
Mix the almond and coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt together well in a bowl.
Meanwhile melt the butter in a pan over a gentle heat.
Once the butter has melted, add the vanilla paste to the butter and stir in well.
Add the butter and vanilla to the dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
Pick up the shortbread dough in your hands and mould it into a ball.
Press it evenly into the bottom of the baking tin.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until the shortbread is starting to brown.

Jam Layer
Defrost the frozen fruit.
Add fruit and any fruit juice from the defrosted fruit, into a pan over a gentle heat and mash with a wooden spoon until the fruit has gone more or less to a pulp.
Take off the heat and stir in the chia seeds thoroughly.
Leave for 15 minutes until the chia seeds thicken the jam.
Spread the jam evenly over the shortbread layer.

Almond Sponge Layer
Whizz the eggs, almond essence and sweetener until the mixture goes pale.
Melt the butter and add to the egg mix.
Grate the courgette or pop into a food processor.
Stir in the grated courgette, almond flour, baking powder and salt into the egg mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture evenly over the shortbread and jam.
Scatter the flaked almonds over the top of the sponge.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until a knife put into the centre of the sponge comes out clean.

Store in the fridge.