Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

Posted by on Jan 31, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, british, cake, nutty | 0 comments

Bakewell Tarts are classic British pastries. This version, modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine, uses store-bought preserves (I used Bonne Maman) with everything else from scratch.

Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

If you’re in America, you’re not likely to find a Bakewell Tart unless you’re near a big city bakery; as for me, I’ve never found it for sale in the US, and I’d probably scream in delight if I came across it. I made a pointed effort to get slices more than once during my 2019 trip to the UK.

Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

Not gonna lie, this is a dessert that takes some work. The pâte sucrée, the crust, can be done ahead of time, and that helps to space out the labor. The filling, which is a frangipane, needs to not only be mixed, but piped into the crust to help it form a consistent layer.

Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

And of course, at the end, the tart needs a nice sweet drizzle that looks gorgeous and amps up the flavor, too. This is really the ultimate special occasion breakfast or dessert.

Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

There are two recipes included here: the pâte sucrée and the full assemblage of the Bakewell Tart.

Bready or Not: Pâte Sucrée

Pâte Sucrée is a pastry crust that can be used for a Bakewell Tart and other desserts. It needs to chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This makes one 9-inch crust. Recipe modified from Bake from Scratch July/August 2023.
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
  • 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • In a stand mixer or by hand. beat together butter, sugar, and salt until they are pale and creamy. Add the egg. Gradually beat in the flour until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times.
  • Shape the dough into a flat disk and encase in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for an least an hour, but overnight is preferred. Dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or can be frozen for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw in fridge before using.

Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

A Bakewell Tart is a classic British dessert. This is a time-consuming recipe, but the result is an absolute show-stopper. Modified from Bake from Scratch July/August 2023.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: British
Keyword: almond, cherries
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • parchment paper
  • 9-inch tart pan with removable plate
  • pie weights
  • pastry brush
  • pastry bag or freezer quart bag
  • uneven spatula

Ingredients

Tart

  • 1 pâte sucrée
  • 1 large egg white lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup almond flour sifted to remove clumps
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cherry preserves

Topping

  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon milk or half & half

Instructions

Form the crust

  • If the pâte sucrée is quite firm from chilling, let it set at room temperature for about 20 minutes to make it more pliable. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick.
  • Remove the base of the tart pan and trace the shape onto parchment paper. Cut paper to fit in bottom of pan and apply baking spray. Carefully transfer dough to pan, but if it falls apart, that’s okay–press it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan and up the fluted sides. Use a knife to cut excess dough from the top edge. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pan, stabbing it here and there across the whole surface. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Bake the crust

  • Preheat oven at 325-degrees.
  • Top the dough with a large piece of parchment paper, with ends extending over the sides. Add pie weights to fill the basin.
  • Bake the crust for about 15 minutes. Carefully lift with the parchment and weights, setting on another pan to cool. Brush the bottom of the pan with the egg white. Continue baking for another 15 minutes; the base should look dry with the dough lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely as the filling is made. Increase oven temperature to 350-degrees.

Make the frangipane

  • Beat the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla, salt, and almond extract. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually mix in both flours until just combined.
  • Spoon frangipane into a pastry bag or a freezer quart bag. Cut off the tip.
  • Use an uneven spatula to spread the cherry preserves over the bottom crust. Pipe the frangipane over the preserves. Use a clean uneven spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
  • Bake until frangipane is set and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 20 minutes before removing the outer ring of the pan. Let tart cool completely on rack.

Add drizzle

  • In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk. Spoon into a pastry bag or freezer quart bag and snip off a tiny corner. Pipe glaze back and forth over tart. Let glaze set, about 20 minutes, then dig in. Store wrapped up or in sealed container in fridge for up to 4 days.

OM NOM NOM!

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    $2.49 ebook sale on A THOUSAND RECIPES is almost over!

    Posted by on Jan 29, 2024 in Blog, Thousand Recipes for Revenge | 0 comments

    $2.49 ebook sale on A Thousand Recipes for Revenge

    A Thousand Recipes for Revenge‘s ebook has been on sale for $2.49 for the month of January. The month is almost done, alas, and that means the sale will also end. The second book in the duology just came out, too, which means you can read them back to back! No worries about months of wait as you wonder what happens next to Ada and Solenn!

    Grab the book now through this affiliate link, and please, spread the word! I don’t know when the book will be on sale again.

    #SFWAPro

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    Bready or Not Original: Small Batch Crusty Bread

    Posted by on Jan 24, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, yeast bread | 0 comments

    Some bread recipes make a lot of bread. While bread freezes well, not everyone has the space or wants the bread for later. If you just want a small, special round of bread to be shared by 2 or 3 people, this is the bread for you.

    Bready or Not Original: Small Batch Crusty Bread

    This round is rustic, simple, and delicious. It doesn’t require kneading, and therefore doesn’t even ask for a electronic mixer for ease. You don’t even need bread flour. All-purpose does the job just fine.

    Bready or Not Original: Small Batch Crusty Bread

    I first tried this recipe when most of my kitchen was packed up for the move. I didn’t have all of my usual implements or ingredients, but I could make this, and wow, was it good.

    Bready or Not Original: Small Batch Crusty Bread

    I’ve tried this in my small cast iron skillet and in a Pampered Chef covered stoneware dish. Both worked well, but I actually preferred the rise and extra crustiness that came with using the cast iron. These pictures actually depict the stoneware-baked bread, and I daresay, they still don’t look too bad.

    Bready or Not Original: Small Batch Crusty Bread

    This recipe yields a small bread round perfect for 2 or 3 people to share with a meal, with no leftovers likely. The outside is crunchy and crisp, the inner crumb tender and flecked with holes. This is an easy bread to make; everything is done by hand, and kneading isn't necessary.
    Course: Bread
    Keyword: yeast bread
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • digital thermometer
    • cotton towel or napkin
    • small cast iron skillet or small stoneware dish
    • parchment paper

    Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 2/3 cups warm water 100-110 degrees
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 to 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, stir together the yeast, honey, and warm water. Let it sit about 5 to 10 minutes. The yeast should activate and begin to bloom near the top of the water.
    • Add flour. Using a sturdy spoon, stir until everything starts to come together, then add the kosher salt. Continue mixing until no dry flour remains in the bowl. The dough should be shaggy and somewhat sticky. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and stash it in a warm spot in the kitchen to rise for an hour. It should double in size.
    • Set out a small bowl and layer a cotton towel inside. Generously flour the towel. Lightly flour a work surface. Tip the dough onto the work surface. Be gentle as to not lose the bubbles. Shape the dough with cupping and tucking motions, drawing the round to be tighter by tucking the rough bits underneath. Place the formed round in the floured-towel bowl with the seam underneath. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap to rise for 30 minutes.
    • Begin preheating the oven at 450-degrees. Place the small cast iron or stoneware inside the oven to heat up as well–and please remember to use potholders when handling it throughout the baking process!
    • Pull out a piece of parchment paper. Tip the risen bread onto the parchment, gently tugging it free with the towel if it sticks in spots. Pull the hot pan from the oven. Use the parchment as a sling to set the parchment and bread inside the pan as levelly as possible.
    • Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. The bread should be browned and sound hollow if tapped on the bottom. Let cool about 10 to 15 minutes so that it can be handled to be sliced and enjoyed. If there are any leftovers, store them in a sealed bag at room temperature or to freeze for later. Freshly-made bread is best eaten within a day.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not: Chewy Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies Redux

      Posted by on Jan 17, 2024 in biscoff spread, Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | 0 comments

      These Chewy Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies taste even more inherently cookie dough-like thanks to cookie butter mixed into the dough. They are chewy, sweet, and oh-so-good.

      Bready or Not: Chewy Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies Redux

      Because someone always asks, “What’s cookie butter?” The answer is: an addictive substance found near the peanut butter in most every grocery store in America; even my local Walmart has it in the main Biscoff brand or as a Walmart generic, and Trader Joe’s calls it Speculoos. It’s essentially pulverized cookies and oil. It has the exact same texture as peanut butter and can substitute for it in most any recipe. There is nothing healthy about it and it is incredibly delicious.

      Bready or Not: Chewy Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies Redux

      If you search for Biscoff/cookie butter recipes on Bready or Not, you’ll find a ton of recipes. It’s been one of my favorite ingredients for over ten years.

      Bready or Not: Chewy Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies Redux

      That’s how old this recipe is, too–so old that I originally posed it on the LiveJournal version of Bready or Not! It was high time it had a remake (or rebake).

      Bready or Not: Chewy Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies Redux

      Cookie butter amps up the cookie dough flavor in these baked delights.
      Course: Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: chocolate, cookie butter, cookies
      Author: Beth Cato

      Ingredients

      • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
      • 1/2 cup white sugar
      • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
      • 1/4 cup Creamy Biscoff spread or other cookie butter
      • 1 large egg room temperature
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla
      • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
      • 1 teaspoon baking soda
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 1 cup chocolate chips
      • flaked sea salt optional, for top

      Instructions

      • Cream butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and cookie butter.
      • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold in the chocolate chips.
      • Wrap up dough and chill it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
      • Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
      • Drop the dough by large tablespoons onto baking sheet. If desired, press a pinch of flaked sea salt onto each round. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let set on pan briefly and then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature.

      OM NOM NOM!

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