The French are very keen on frangipane (an almond cream) but I always think of it as the mixture that goes into English Bakewell tart. The ingredients are the same but the quantities are different.
There’s no cream in my Mum’s recipe, just lots of butter, ground almonds, sugar and eggs.
Bakewell tart was pretty much on the go all the time when I was little. A pastry base spread with good quality homemade raspberry jam and then the almond cream on top. Baked until golden it was always a treat and something that my children will remember fondly too as it was always part of visiting Grandma and Grandpa.
This version takes it up a notch. Instead of being a tea time treat it’s more of a dinner party dessert. The almond cream remains the same but I use a buttery short sweet pastry and then instead of putting a layer of jam underneath the cream, I put fruit on the top.
It’s a versatile recipe and you can vary the fruit according to what’s in season. Today I used ripe plums, bursting with purple juice that will seep into the almond mixture and make a softy, goey centre under the crisp sweet pastry.
A sharp fruit works best – plums, apricots, sour cherries, raspberries or blackberries are all wonderful. Of course you can use apple or figs but it’s better when there is a sharp contrast between the fruit and the cream.
Here’s my recipe (well my Mum’s!)
190g caster sugar
190g unsalted butter (in my youth it would have been salted butter)
190g ground almonds
2 eggs
Method:
Line a tart tin with pastry. You can use a bought one or make a sweet one like the one I use (I make it in advance and freeze it in portions). See the recipe here.
Chill in the fridge for 3O minutes.
While the pastry case is chilling, cream the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy.
Add the ground almonds and then the eggs one by one.
Spread the mixture over the pastry base (don’t overfill the case as it rises in the oven a little).
Cut your fruit and arrange it carefully on top.
Sprinkle with a few flaked almonds.
Cook in a preheated oven (180° Fan 400°F) for about half an hour to 45 minutes.
If it starts to get too brown on the top before the centre is set then lower the heat a little and cover it with foil (I covered it after 20 minutes).
Allow to cool before serving.
It’s fabulous just warm or cold, it’s great gently reheated the next day and it freezes like a dream.
Bon appetit!
The amount gave me one large rectangular tart and one small round one. I used 7 plums in total, cut into quarters.
The big one is for guests tomorrow and I’ll freeze the little one for another time.
