Tale of Two Tarts

How I fell in love with a British classic and why you will too

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Those who know me well, know I am a dessert tart. I love shortcakes, tall cakes, puddings, cookies, cinnamon buns, crumbles, pies and custards. Don’t even get me started on pastries. We could be here a very long time.

But this story (and recipe to follow) is about a girl (picture me outside this tart’s window with a boombox giving some serious John Cusack in Say Anything vibes) in search of the tart to complete her gluten-free, dairy-free, inclusive-eating-needs.

Say Anything, 1989

The Bakewell tart is a British classic. The tart’s history stretches back to the late 18th or early 19th century. Its existence can also be attributed to a happy accident (as most swoon-worthy love stories tend to).

Most sources agree that the tale of this tart begins with one Mrs. Greaves. She was the mistress of the White Horse Inn in Bakewell, England at the time.

Not an actual picture of Mrs. Greaves. However, the mind can’t help but wander! Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, 1871

It’s said that Mrs. Greaves asked the inn’s cook to pour a mixture into pastry cases, followed by jam. But the cook added the jam first, in error. The result was so good that the recipe stuck (lucky us).

*In retrospect, maybe the cook got the short end of the spatula here and should have gotten the credit for this recipe.

Almost every bakery in London has some version of this dessert. Whether they come in the form of mini tarts, pies, bars (oh my!). But more often than not, they include gluten and dairy — keeping me at arms length from the tart of my dreams.

So, I decided I needed to make a version for myself.

This Keto Raspberry Bakewell tart is incredibly easy to make but looks impressive and tastes amazing.

This dessert is perfectly balanced. A pastry tart filled with a layer of tangy, raspberry jam followed by an easy-to-make sweet frangipane mixture of ground almonds, eggs, and almond extract.

Perfect for a dinner party or for a Sunday afternoon bake.

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raspberry bakewell tart

makes 1 pie

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INGREDIENTS:

Jam

• 200 grams frozen or fresh raspberries

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Crust

• 375 grams almond flour

• 45 grams palm shortening, lard, or grass-fed organic butter, at room temperature

• 1 egg, room temperature

Filling

• 125 grams palm shortening, butter, or coconut oil

• 125 grams almond flour

• 100 grams keto sweetener (we used Lakanto monk fruit)

• 1 egg, beaten at room temperature

• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract

• ¼ cup cooled raspberry jam

• 30 grams flaked almonds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by making the jam. Place the raspberries in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until they have broken down, about 5 - 10 minutes depending on if you use frozen or fresh. Stir every so often so that they don't burn. Once the raspberries have broken down, take the saucepan off of the heat and stir in chia seeds. Make sure all of the ingredients are incorporated and then set aside.

2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 20cm pie dish well. Set aside.

3. To make the dough, add almond flour and your choice of fat into a bowl. Rub the fat into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and form it into a dough. This dough will be more crumbly than a traditional crust.

4. Place your crumbly mixture into the base of your dish. Flatten and spread the mixture with your hands until you cover the base completely. You can bring the dough slightly up the sides but don't stress too much about that. Place the pie dish in the oven and bake for 5 - 7 minutes or until it is just turning slightly golden. Take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

5. To make the filling, place your fat of choice and sweetener into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy, around 1 - 2 minutes.

6. Add the ground almonds, egg, and almond essence and beat well until everything is combined evenly.

7. To assemble the tart, place ¼ c of the jam you made earlier onto the pastry and spread in a thin layer. Scoop the cake batter on top of the jam carefully and smooth the top. Finish with a sprinkle of flaked almonds. Place in the oven and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the top is golden and the sponge springs back when (carefully) touched.

8. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool.

Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

I love to see when people create the recipes I publish. If you make this dessert, please take a picture and tag me on instagram @dinewithivana