Bakewell tart
 A Cherry Bakewell with fondant |
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| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Alternative name(s) | Bakewell Pudding |
| Place of origin | England |
| Region or state | Derbyshire Dales |
| Creator(s) | Rutland Arms, Bakewell, in 1820 |
| Details | |
| Course | Dessert |
| Serving temperature | Warm (freshly baked) or cold |
| Main ingredient(s) | Ground almond, jam, shortcrust, sponge cake |
| Variations | Cherry Bakewell |
The Bakewell Tart, not to be confused with the Bakewell Pudding, is a shortcrust pastry with a layer of jam and a sponge filling with almonds. The Bakewell Pudding on the other hand is a flaky pastry, with a layer of jam and an egg and almond filling. The tart then can be covered with a layer of fondant. Only the pudding originates from the Derbyshire town of Bakewell.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
The origins of the pudding are not clear; however, the generally accepted story is that it was first made by accident in 1820 when the landlady of the White Horse Inn (now called the Rutland Arms) left instructions for her cook to make a jam tart. The cook, instead of stirring the eggs and almond paste mixture into the pastry, spread it on top of the jam.[2] When cooked the egg and almond paste set similar to an egg custard in texture and the result was successful enough for it to become a popular dish at the inn. The Bakewell Pudding is exclusive to Bakewell. Bakewell Tarts are a completely different confection, both in appearance, flavour and texture. These are made by larger commercial bakeries, usually with icing sugar on top, which have spread the name.[3]
[edit] Commercial outlets
Two shops in Bakewell offer what they both claim is the original recipe pastry - The Bakewell Tart Shop & Coffee House sells a "Bakewell Tart",[4] while The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop sells a "Bakewell Pudding".[5]
[edit] Tart
The tart version consists of a shortcrust pastry shell, spread with jam and covered with a sponge-like filling enriched with ground almonds (known as frangipane). They may also be covered with nuts such as almonds and peanuts. Alternative flavours, including blackcurrant, strawberry and apple are also produced.
A Cherry Bakewell is a variation of the tart where the frangipane is covered with a top layer of almond flavoured icing and a single half glacé cherry, also known as a Bakewell Cake.
Recipes abound, for example those given by Eliza Acton (1845) and Mrs Beeton (1861), and modern commercial examples are to be found in most cake shops and on every supermarket shelf. The name only became common in the 20th century
[edit] Pudding
The recipe still used in The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop consists of a puff pastry shell with a layer of jam, covered with a filling of eggs, sugar, butter and almonds.
[edit] Shot
The Cherry Bakewell shot[citation needed] is a popular alcoholic beverage made from amaretto, cherry liquor and Baileys. A skilled bartender is able to layer the ingredients by pouring the respective spirits over the back of a chilled spoon. The name comes from the similarity in taste to the aforementioned Cherry Bakewell tart.
[edit] In Popular Fiction
In the first of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, "Master and Commander," Jack Aubrey is staying at The Crown in Port Mahón, Minorca. He observes: "... the place smelt of olive oil, sardines and wine; and there was not the least possibility of a Bakewell tart, an Eccles cake or even a decent suet pudding."
[edit] In Popular Culture
Bakewell tarts were mentioned on an edition of The Great British Bake Off, presented by Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, on August 23, 2011 (the second programmme in the programme's second series). The story of a maid who got the recipe for jam tarts wrong was mentioned on the programme, although the narrator seemed skeptical about the story.
[edit] References
[edit] Bibliography
- Alan Davidson (Ed.) (1999). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-211579-0.
- Eliza Acton (1845). Modern Cookery for Private Families.
- Isabella Mary Beeton (1861). Beeton's Book of Household Management.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bakewell tarts |
