Bakewell Tart

 Back in the 19th century, Mrs. Greaves ran the White Horse Inn in the English town of Bakewell. Business was extra-busy that day, and she had no time to supervise her new cook's making of the inn's special: jam tart. The cook hadn't made one before, so she took a wild guess -- and spread the jam on to the bottom of the tart, instead of mixing it in with the filling. 

Voila -- the Bakewell Tart. It was an immediate hit with Mrs. Greaves' customers. 

News of the cook's delicious 'mistake' spread, and soon the town of Bakewell became famous for this simple tart. (We Americans would call it a 'pie;' shoo-fly and 'chess' pies are a bit similar.) It is surprisingly easy to make, thanks to pressing your piecrust into the pan, rather than fussing with rolling the dough out. Mix up the filling, dump it in, then decorate a bit -- and you're done. 

My rendition of Bakewell Tart was adapted from this recipe, but there are plenty more to choose from. You could try 196 Flavor's version, or Spruce Eats' version. This version is considered 'traditional...' but I've seen several others pegged the same way.

BAKEWELL TART (my way)

All photos from allrecipes.com

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CRUST:

5 tablespoons softened butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups butter

ice water (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 cup jam -- raspberry is traditional, but I used raspberry/rhubarb the first time, and peach the second, with great success

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FILLING:

(use generous measures of the first three ingredients)

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar (save a tablespoon)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons almond flavoring

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1 cup almonds, walnuts or pecans

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Start oven at 375 degrees. Crust first -- mix flour and butter together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, a little at a time, until it starts to form a ball. Press with your fingers into an ungreased pie pan as evenly as you can -- press with a fork all around to make a decorative edge. Spread with jam.

Mix filling ingredients together and pile into the crust. Sprinkle with saved sugar, and arrange nuts in a decorative pattern on top of the tart. Bake 30-35 minutes until tart is lightly browned and bubbling. 

Tart is very rich -- Serve warm or cold up to 12, with a puff of whipped cream. Or not.

 Hot tea and coffee go well with it, too.

Add almond fondant on the top, plus cherries, for a Cherry Bakewell.

A similar tart is made in Gloucester, thanks to an old recipe found by a councilman. They call it a Gloucester Tart...but whadda they know.