Cherry Bakewell Tart Recipe: Mini Frangipane Tarts

This recipe for Cherry Bakewell tart is the perfect dessert. It can be made as a traditional size tart or in these perfect bite-sized portions. It is the perfect dessert, with its almond essence and layer of cherry jam.

I love frangipane recipes! They are some of my favorites and frangipane tarts are hard to beat (see my pear and frangipane tart and peach frangipane tart). Cherry Bakewell Tarts are no different. I love the ease of this recipe yet the delicious flavor that it yields. They are incredibly simple to make and will quickly become your favorite new dessert.Let's make some individual cherry Bakewell tarts. 

What is a Bakewell Tart?

A Bakewell Tart is a traditional British pastry dessert that consists of a sweet, shortcrust pastry shell filled with a layer of fruit jam, often raspberry or strawberry, and topped with a frangipane mixture made from ground almonds, sugar, butter, and eggs. It's typically baked until the pastry is golden brown and the almond filling is set. Sometimes, it's garnished with flaked almonds and a drizzle of icing sugar glaze.

History of Bakewell tarts:

The history of the Bakewell Tart is a bit convoluted, but it is primarily associated with the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire, England. The dessert's precise origins are a subject of debate, and its creation is often credited to a happy baking accident.

According to popular legend, the Bakewell Tart's creation dates back to the 19th century when a cook at the Rutland Arms Inn in Bakewell misinterpreted a recipe. Instead of stirring the egg and almond mixture into the pastry as intended, the cook spread it over a layer of jam. This accidental variation turned out to be a delicious success, and the dessert became known as the Bakewell Pudding.

The Bakewell Pudding soon gained popularity and became a local specialty in the town. Over time, variations of the recipe emerged, and the term "Bakewell Tart" began to be used more broadly, encompassing both the original pudding and the tart. The exact evolution of the recipe and the transition from pudding to tart is not entirely clear, but what remains consistent is the combination of jam, almond filling, and pastry that defines the Bakewell Tart we know today.

Today, Bakewell Tarts and Puddings are celebrated as quintessential British desserts and are enjoyed both locally and internationally. They continue to be a delightful treat for those who appreciate the harmonious blend of sweet, fruity jam, and nutty almond filling encased in a buttery pastry shell.

Why You'll love this Cherry Bakewell Tart Recipe:

Irresistible Flavor Profile: This recipe perfectly balances the sweet and tart flavors of cherry jam with the rich, nutty essence of almond frangipane. The combination creates a symphony of flavors that are both comforting and indulgent.
Textural Delight: The contrast of textures is a standout feature. The crisp and buttery pastry shell pairs beautifully with the moist and almond-infused frangipane filling, offering a satisfying mouthfeel in every bite.
Classic British Dessert: It's a classic British dessert with a storied history, which adds a sense of tradition and nostalgia to your culinary experience.
No need to blind bake: You can skip this step. Which means no need for pie weights or extra time.

Tips and Tricks for this recipe:

You do not need to blind bake this recipe nor do you need a special tart tin. A muffin tin is all you need. If you wish to make them bigger you could use mini tart pans or if you wanted to make a full size tart, you could use a full size tart pan. Do be aware that the larger you make the tarts, the longer they will need to bake. 
For best results always follow the recipe card. 

What Equipment do you need for this recipe?

A Food Processor
Muffin Tin
Electric Mixer (if you do not have a stand mixer then a large bowl and an electric hand mixer)
Wire Rack
Small bowl
Whisk
Rolling pin, cookie cutter, and parchment paper, if making your own pastry dough

Ingredients needed for this Cherry Bakewell Tart:

Almond Flour: almond flour is the core of our almond frangipane sponge layer. While it's not a "cake" when baked, it is super moist and delicious. I do not recommend using store bought almond paste but rather making your own. 
Almond Extract: Even though we have almond flour in the recipe, you still want a strong almond flavor and that will come from the almond extract.
Pastry Dough: You need a pastry case for our mini cherry Bakewell tart recipe. I use my gluten free pastry dough recipe but you can use your own recipe, mine, or store bought.
Butter: Butter goes into our frangipane filling (as well as pie crust)
Eggs: the whole egg (not just the egg yolk) is the binding agent in the frangipane
Cherry Jam: Cherry jam is used in this recipe rather than the traditional raspberry jam. 
Caster Sugar: We have sugar to sweeten the frangipane
Powdered Sugar: this is the base of our glaze for the top of our tarts
Lemon Juice: this is used to mix with the powdered sugar
Maraschino Cherry: The very top of our tarts is topped by a bright maraschino cherry

Step by Step Instructions: How do you make this cherry Bakewell recipe?

- Set oven to 350°F
- Make the pastry base: If you are using your own pie crust or pastry dough recipe, then follow the instructions for that. If you are wanting my recipe, make the dough, place between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out until thin. Cut with cookie cutters or pastry cutters.
- Line the muffin tin: with the pastry that you used the cookie cutters to cut. Make sure they sit well in the muffin tin. Poke the bottom with a fork.
- Place the cherry jam: with a spoon, line the bottom of the pastry dough with jam. 
- Make the frangipane: To make the frangipane, in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) add room temperature butter, almond meal (same as almond flour), egg, sugar, and almond extract. Mix on a medium speed. The frangipane will come together and be sticky and soft.
- Fill the pastry cups: with the frangipane filling. You can do this with a spoon and then smooth it out with your hands if you wish.
- Place in the oven: bake for 25-30 minutes. They should be golden brown when they are finished. Remove from the oven when they are done baking and place on a wire rack. Allow them to cool completely before covering them in the glaze.
- Make the glaze: in a small bowl, mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together. The glaze should be thick but smooth. 
- Cover the tarts: Cover the tarts with the glaze but using a spoon. Top with a maraschino cherry that you have patted down with a paper towel to remove excess liquid. 

After you are done with this recipe, make my rhubarb tart.

Recipe Variations:

You really can use any kind of jam in the bottom of the tart case. Raspberry jam or strawberry jam would be the most typical choices. You could also do lemon or apricot. If you want to play with the glaze, you can mix different juices with the icing sugar. You would no longer have the traditional white icing but you could have a beautiful shade of pink if you chose a pomegranate juice to make your glaze instead. 

Know that even though I am a gluten free baker than the recipe works as a 1:1 recipe. 

I am not a vegan baker and therefore have not tried this recipe dairy free or egg free. If you do try it, let me know in the comments.

How do I store this cherry Bakewell tart?

In an airtight container for 2-3 days is best. I like to keep mine at room temperature but you can of course place them in the fridge. 

LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW!

Did you love this recipe? If you did, let me know! And let others know too by leaving a comment and star rating. Reviews are incredibly useful in helping other people find my site and make my recipes. Thank you so much!
Laura 

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