All's Well That Bakes Well

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England. Bakewell tarts…er…puddings combine a number of dessert elements but still let you show off your area’s seasonal fruits.

I have to admit that I'd never heard of a Bakewell Tart before this challenge. Upon looking over the recipe, I realized it would be an easy challenge since I've made all the individual components before. So, to up the ante, I decided to make my own jam. It's been a long time since I've done that, but I still had all my equipment, and, much like riding a bicycle, all the steps were automatic. Even my friend, the canning table (alias the strudel table), was happy to help out.

I love how the jam turned out. It has become one of my all-time favorites -- freshly picked boysenberries from the Farmers Market and limes from my tree.



Yes, that huge yellow object is a lime. It's bigger than most lemons and has yellow skin when ripe. No seeds, either.


Remains of the jam-making process:



Fresh out of the water bath:



Leftover jam, to be used in the Bakewell Tart:



The tart itself consists of three parts: a shortbread crust and a jam layer,




and a frangipane layer, which is basically ground almonds, butter, sugar, and eggs. Personally, I can't get enough of almond flavor, and neither can my friends or family. I made sure to use the almond extract in both the crust and the frangipane layer, but it still wasn't as almondy as it could have been. I'll probably add more next time.



That top layer came right to the edge of the crust. As a result, it overflowed a bit during the baking process. Because I also had a fair amount of leftover crust, I will use a 10" tart pan the next time.


The final result was a lovely jam tart-pudding, that disappeared quickly. I took half of it to work one night, and only the tiniest of slivers remained.


Playing with various jam flavors and tart sizes would be fun, and I know some of the other Daring Bakers did just that. Be sure and check the blogroll for all the wonderful Bakewell creations.


You'll also find the recipe and a history of the Bakewell Tart on the hostesses' blogs.