DBE IN LOUISIANA 

Bakewell Tarts are a firm favorite.  You can either make them as individual tarts, as I did, or make the recipe into one large tart.  This recipe makes 12 small tarts.

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6 oz shortcrust pastry - your favorite pastry recipe or mix or frozen sheet

2 TBSP raspberry jam

2 oz butter

1/4 C sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 TBSP SR flour

2 oz ground almonds (sometimes called almond flour)

1 TBSP milk

few drops almond essence

OPTIONAL: flaked almonds to decorate

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Preheat oven to 375*

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Roll out pastry, and cut 12 round bases to go into tart pans (or line an 8" pie dish)

Do not roll the pastry too thin, or the jam will seep through the bottom. Reserve the pastry trimmings

Put 1/2 tsp jam into the bottom of each tart (or spread the jam over the base of the pie pan)

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Cream together the butter and sugar.  Beat in the egg, fold in the flour, ground almonds, milk and essence. Spread the mixture over the jam.  Roll out the pastry trimmings and lay criss-cross across the tart(s), sealing the edges with water.

Optional: decorate with flaked almonds.

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Bake until golden brown - 20 - 30 minutes.

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The origin of bakewell tarts: the story goes that the first Bakewell Tart was the result of a misunderstanding between Mrs Greaves, the proprietress of the Rutford Arms Inn at Bakewell (nothing to do with baking well!) in England and her cook. Mrs. Greaves requested a jam custard tart, however, instead of mixing in the jam with the custard, her cook spread the jam separately over the pastry. The incorrect tart was a huge success with Mrs. Greaves and has been famous ever since.  

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