Bakewell tart ~ Mary Berry

Ingredients:

Shortcrust pastry:

• 175g (6oz) plain flour
• 75g (3oz) butter / marg
• 2 – 3 tbsps ice cold water

 Almond filling:

• 100g (4oz) butter / marg
• 100g (4oz) caster sugar
• 100g (4oz) ground rice or semolina
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 tbsps jam
• ½ tsp almond essence
• Handful flaked almonds

 Method:

To make the pastry: measure the flour into a large bowl and add the butter,much into small pieces and rub in until the mixture resembles crumble. Mix to a stiff dough with the water, add all the water at once and mix with a round bladed knife or the back of a large spoon then lump the pastry together.

wrap in cling film or plastic food bag and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 200°c/180Fan/Gas 6.

Roll out the pastry on a floured board and place in a greased baking tin. I used an 8 x 10″ and prick the base well.

Spread the jam ( I used strawberry) all over the pastry nice and evenly, don’t do it too thickly though.

To make the filling: melt the butter in a pan on a low heat and add the sugar, semolina or ground rice (I used semolina), beaten egg and almond essence and whisk together with a hand whisk. Pour the mixture over the pastry base evenly and then sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is pale golden brown at the edges and the filling golden brown too. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin. Cut into squares and serve.