Bakewell Tart

Method

1. Make the pastry.
   Rub the chilled butter into the flour using your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. You should still see tiny flecks of butter — if it turns greasy, you’ve overworked it.
   Add 2 tbsp cold water and mix gently. Only add the extra tablespoon if it’s still dry. The dough should just come together, not feel wet or sticky.
   Common mistake: Kneading like bread. Don’t. That’s how you get tough pastry.
2. Line and chill.
   Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Line a 20cm flan tin, pressing gently into the corners without stretching the dough.
   Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. This stops shrinkage in the oven.
   If you skip chilling: Expect slumped sides and uneven thickness.
3. Blind bake the base.
   Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line the pastry with foil and fill with baking beans or dry rice.
   Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and foil and bake for another 5 minutes until the base looks dry and pale golden.
   If the base looks damp: Give it another 2–3 minutes. A wet base will ruin everything above it.
4. Add the jam.
   Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the warm base. Don’t pile it in the middle — thin and even is the goal.
   Too much jam: It will bubble up and sink into the filling.
5. Make the frangipane.
   Melt the butter gently, then take it off the heat. Stir in the sugar, followed by the ground almonds, beaten egg, and almond extract.
   The mixture should be thick but pourable. If it’s runny, something went wrong — usually butter too hot or egg added too fast.
6. Fill and top.
   Pour the almond mixture over the jam and level it gently. Sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top.
   Don’t press them in — they should sit on the surface.
7. Bake.
   Bake for about 35 minutes until the top is golden and the centre feels set but slightly springy.
   If the almonds brown too fast, loosely cover with foil.
   Overbaked tart: Dry, crumbly filling. Pull it earlier than you think.