Recipe: Bakewell Tart with Luxardo

Apparently this week on Great British Bake Off is pastry week. Which is a pretty fabulous coincidence, as I have a pastry based recipe to show off.

I’d like to claim this was planned because I am awesome at planning these things and being organised, but that would be a lie. I found out about it being pastry week yesterday, and baked this recipe on Sunday (even though it had been in my head for weeks).

I was sent a little Luxardo Sangue Morlacco cherry liqueur – this isn’t just filled with cherry flavours, but it’s oak aged, so you get a good dense flavour, that’s light in mouthfeel. It’s not overly rich or sugary, but when it comes to this recipe adds a little depth to the cherry flavour and a good hint of vanilla. I’m pleased to say that those who’ve sampled it have been pretty impressed, as it’s so well balanced (their words, not mine).

I also, as you’ll see from the images, have a confession to make. When I made this I didn’t use my favourite go to sweet shortcrust pastry recipe. I was swayed by another. And I burned it. Totally. Utterly. Being the WI trained lady that I am, I removed the burned bits and carried on, and what we got was a good tart, just not the one I wanted it to be.

Whichever pastry method you choose (I have no bias against shop bought, if that works for you, then go for it), I hope you enjoy the recipe. We certainly did.

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Boozy Bakewell Tart

A rich, buttery bake with a gentle kick of alcohol.

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 8

Author Charlie H-S

Ingredients

• 375 g Sweet shortcrust pastry see note above
• 225 g butter softened
• 225 g sugar
• 225 g ground almonds
• 3 free-range eggs
• 25 g Plain flour
• 25 g Self raising flour
• 50 ml Luxardo Sangue Morlacco
• 3 tbsp Cherry jam
• Luxardo cherries optional
• Flaked almonds for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

1. Whichever your preferred pastry method, remove from the fridge for around ten minutes, then turn out onto a floured work surface and roll out until large enough to line a 26cm/10in tart tin.
2. Carefully lift into the tin, then place into the fridge to chill (an hour is ideal, but half an hour will suffice).
3. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5.
4. Fill the tart case with a sheet of greaseproof paper weighed down with baking beans or rice and blind bake the case in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
5. After this, remove it from the oven and carefully remove the paper and beans and brush the pastry all over with beaten egg. Pop back into the oven for 5 minutes or so, until it turns golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
7. While the pastry cools, add the jam and liqueur to a pan and heat. You want them to both combine and for the liqueur to reduce into the jam. It will take around 5 minutes for it to be come thicker and syrupy. Leave to one side while you make the filling.
8. For the filling, cream the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
9. Mix in the ground almonds, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
10. Sieve the flours into the bowl and fold into the mixture.
11. Spread some of the jam/liqueur mixture generously across the base of the pastry, leaving a small gap around the edge. If your jam has no whole cherries and you have them, add some Maraschino cherries to the dish - this is optional, but adds great texture.
12. Spread the filling mixture over the jam and sprinkle over the flaked almonds (optional).
13. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until set and golden-brown.
14. Allow to cool in the tin before serving in slices.