Bakewell, Well-Baked
June 27, 2009 at 12:00 am | In Baking / Cooking, Food | 73 CommentsSteeped in centuries of tradition, the bakewell tart is perhaps the quintessential pastry of England, invited to every party, from daily tea time nibbles to grand celebrations alike. Jam and almond frangipan daintily layered in a shortcrust shell, many variations of this simple assembly exit, creating controversy amongst fiercely loyal fans. The question is: Soft, custard-like interior, or fluffy, cake-like crumb? Although the bakewell failed to make such a splash across the pond here in America, never providing me the opportunity to try it previously, I had always believe that the pudding-eque version would be far better. What’s the point of baking a sponge cake into a rigid crust, anyway? It was due time to finally see what the big deal was for myself, so this month’s Daring Baker challenge was quite appealing.
The June Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart… er… pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800’s in England.
Being a crazy yankee though, I just had to go muck things up and make a dessert that looked absolutely nothing like a tart, bakewell or otherwise.
All the components are there, only rearranged and reinterpreted. Strawberry jam demispheres, softly jelled with agar, form the base, on top of which rests a slab of chocolate shortcrust pastry. A deep green pistachio frangipan, even more dense and rich than I could have imagined, follows to complete the standard requirements for a bakewell tart. Garnished simply with fresh strawberries, mint leaves, and chocolate decorations, it was fun to eat as it was to make. Although I would have prefered the frangipan to be slightly lighter, it was undeniably delicious.
No longer a foreign oddity, I can easily see the appeal of the bakewell tart. If for nothing else, the simplicity of the recipe allows a lot of room for creativity, and truly lets fantastic ingredients shine. That’s the sort of dessert that I think everyone can appreciate!
73 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
My Cookbook
My Ebooks
Subscribe Via RSS
-
-
-
-
Flickr Photos
More Photos Awards
RSS - Posts
Blog at WordPress.com. | Theme: Pool by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
Simply beautiful! ALMOST too beautiful to eat ;)
Comment by Paula - bell'alimento — June 27, 2009 #
“If for nothing else, the simplicity of the recipe allows a lot of room for creativity, and truly lets fantastic ingredients shine.”
I really have to agree with that. I was so pleasantly surprised by this recipe.
Comment by Micco — June 27, 2009 #
Also, your take on it is really creative and sounds delicious.
Comment by Micco — June 27, 2009 #
Oh my gosh! Its beautiful! You must have had a lot of patience to put this together. I bet it tastes as good as it looks too :)
Comment by Roses R Red — June 27, 2009 #
Holy @#$&!!!, woman! You’re ridiculously creative, you know that? In a very, very good way. :D
Comment by Allison Day — June 27, 2009 #
Hannah, your dessert looks amazing! What a stylish presentation!
Comment by Vera — June 27, 2009 #
That is stunning! I was going to do pistachio frangipane myself, but decided to just keep it basic this time around. Amazing job as ALWAYS, and you have to give me some photo tips, chicky!
Comment by lisamichele — June 27, 2009 #
What er um he I’m stunned speechless what a creative job you did on this challenge and it looks much to good to eat but I would in an instant. Bravo bravo bravo and kudos to you for this EXCELLENT result. Cheers from Audax
Comment by Audax Artifex — June 27, 2009 #
Wow, looks stunning and you have a lot of creativity.
Comment by zorra — June 27, 2009 #
I’ll second Audax’s comment. That’s quite some re-intepretation! Now you’ll have to find a name for it, because that just isn’t pudding! :)
Comment by Aparna — June 27, 2009 #
wow! stylish just gorgeous!!…
Comment by Sabiilaa — June 27, 2009 #
So nice et so grafic !
Waouw the best !
Comment by vgpower — June 27, 2009 #
Absolutely beautiful and must have been very tasty as well!
Comment by yaelian — June 27, 2009 #
j’aime le côté destructuré de la tarte bakewell ! c’est superbe et bien imaginé :)
Comment by isabelle — June 27, 2009 #
I tried to come up with a creative twist on this challenge, and nothing came to mind. So not only am I so impressed by your Tart, but I am a bit jealous because I lacked the creativity to come with such a unique version. Clearly I have a lot to learn from you.
Comment by Frenchie — June 27, 2009 #
That is a work of art! I love it. I had a teacher in nutrition school that used to remind us all the time “Where everyone thinks alike, no one thinks at all”. I think yours is the perfect Bakewell Tart!
Comment by Meghan Telpner — June 27, 2009 #
INCREDIBLE WORK … HE MAKES ME salivate …. NO ONE WILL HAVE SOMETHING FOR POOR ME THIS MONTH AS IT BURNED YOUR CAKE THE CHALLENGE?
Comment by cookemila — June 27, 2009 #
A brilliant deconstruction, Hannah. Excellent photo, as well.
Comment by Deb Schiff — June 27, 2009 #
A stunning creation! The frangipan sounds so intriguing, too. What a delectable combination of tastes and textures!
Comment by Ricki — June 27, 2009 #
i love your interpretation! so original :)
Comment by allularpunk — June 27, 2009 #
Everytime I visit your blog and see a baking challenge I must prepare myself. Then I scroll down and literally gasp. Your creations are so beautiful Hannah!
Comment by Shelby — June 27, 2009 #
Looks delicious! I love your interpretation of the tart. :)
Comment by sara — June 27, 2009 #
Fancy! I love your interpretation!
Comment by Nicole — June 27, 2009 #
Oh, this is such a unique presentation of the bakewell tart. Yours should definitely be called a “lookwell tart”. Superb photo!
Comment by Singing Horse — June 27, 2009 #
Very very impressed!!What a fantastic and creative twist you have given to the recipe! Wow… Looks amazing!
Comment by Simone (junglefrog) — June 27, 2009 #
that is such a creative twist on a classic, it looks delicious!
Comment by Sal — June 27, 2009 #
It’s a piece of artwork. I love your interpretation, very lovely.
Comment by dreamin'itvegan — June 27, 2009 #
Nice approach to a traditional English recipe!
Comment by Anula — June 27, 2009 #
As always, a wonderful and interesting take on the challenge – I especially like the strawberry jam demispheres (maybe because demispheres is just fun to say!). Beautiful job!
Comment by Caitlin — June 27, 2009 #
This is such a unique, fancy take on the Bakewell Tart! It’s so creative and nearly too beautiful to eat… but it sounds delicious too!
Comment by Elissa — June 27, 2009 #
Been to Bakewell…lol
Looks good even tho it looks nothing like what I consider a Bakewell tart to look like :D
Comment by Sarah — June 27, 2009 #
This is a beautiful work of art! I love your combination of flavors, especially the pistachio frangipane. Fantastic and very original interpretation!
Comment by lisa (dandysugar) — June 27, 2009 #
LOVE the deconstructed tart, Hannah! Beautiful job making this challenge a bit more snazzy!
Comment by shellyfish — June 27, 2009 #
You are so creative! Great job on this month’s challenge.
Comment by Dragon — June 27, 2009 #
I have never heard of a bakewell, but that sounds fabulous!!
Comment by Gina — June 27, 2009 #
Oh I love how you did the base and the frangipane! Very clever :)
Comment by Y — June 27, 2009 #
Wow, what a mindblowing take on that recipe! Your creation is splendid!
Cheers,
Rosa
Comment by Rosa — June 27, 2009 #
That is really beautiful and looks crazy delicious! Nice interpretation!
Comment by informalblathering — June 27, 2009 #
What a wonderful presentation! Very creative. Awesome!
Comment by isa — June 27, 2009 #
Oh my gosh, you are SO CREATIVE! Your take on this recipe is an edible work of art!
Comment by Sue — June 27, 2009 #
Wow, that’s gorgeous!
Comment by melisser — June 27, 2009 #
Beautiful and super creative! It also sounds really delicious.
Comment by jillian — June 27, 2009 #
Interesting…and very beautiful, too!
Comment by Mihl — June 28, 2009 #
Wow, I admire your creativity! And beautiful presentation as well :D
Comment by bezajel — June 28, 2009 #
Wow,looks absolutely beautiful. Love the presentation and the picture too!
Comment by jo — June 28, 2009 #
MMMM, I love the variation of flavors you used and as always your plating is specatular! You’re so creative.
~ingrid
Comment by ingrid — June 28, 2009 #
It’s stunning! I really love the color of the pistachio frangipane.
Comment by Maggie — June 28, 2009 #
Gorgeous! Your lovely little baked treats are always so bright and whimsical!
Comment by Kayla Marie Fritz — June 28, 2009 #
Wow your interpretation of Bakewell Tart is so clever! They look really great :D
Comment by Lucy — June 28, 2009 #
Creative genius Hannah. Your interpretation is inspirational! WOW, you did the challenge in style. It’s GORGEOUS!!
Comment by deeba — June 28, 2009 #
Mmmm I made the banana muffins from your cookbook today – SO GOOD! (:
Comment by Jen — June 28, 2009 #
Deconstructed Bakewell Tart, I love it! And the pistachio frangipane looks delicious! Gorgeous presentation, I’m really impressed! Way to go!
Comment by Valerie — June 28, 2009 #
That is the coolest interpretation of a tart ever!
Comment by Diann — June 28, 2009 #
Wow!! Your tart looks amazing =D. I love your presentation and the jam demispheres!!
Comment by Lauren — June 28, 2009 #
I’ve never heard of this tart but your version looks delicious and beautiful!
Comment by Ashley — June 28, 2009 #
I love the pistachio frangipan idea; it would be so perfectly rich with the berries! Great interpretation!
Comment by Jes — June 28, 2009 #
Beautiful job, Hannah! I love your deconstructed approach, so pretty…and pistachio, yum!
Comment by Marika — June 29, 2009 #
So fun! Great execution on thinking out of the box! Turned out perfect!!
Comment by Tartelette — June 29, 2009 #
I always fascinated by a deconstructed dessert, especially one that looks as fabulous as yours. Great job. Very creative
Comment by asti soehoed — June 29, 2009 #
Well, it still looks delicious to me…even if you say it does not look like the tart.
Comment by veron — June 29, 2009 #
Your green pistachio frangipane is playing like a favorite song in my head and I don’t want it to stop!
Comment by art and lemons — June 29, 2009 #
I love your interpretation. It looks great!
Comment by Wendy — June 29, 2009 #
Hannah,
I always love checking out your Daring Baker posts because they always involve a twist or a new intepretation of the classic recipes.
Comment by veganlisa — June 29, 2009 #
Just have to say, I’m English and it isn’t a neccessity at every party! Looks very individual though, but I need mine topped with neon sugared cherries :)
Comment by Bethany Aston — June 29, 2009 #
Beautiful. I went for a deconstructed Bakewell Tart as well, but yours is absolutely STUNNING….well done.
Comment by Ente — June 29, 2009 #
Very creative. Nicely done!
Comment by Lori — June 29, 2009 #
GORGEOUS! Wow.
Comment by culinography — June 29, 2009 #
There’s some mechanical engineering going on there…
Comment by Mary — June 30, 2009 #
What a posh looking tart. :) Looks wonderful and sounds like it tasted that way too.
Comment by Annemarie — July 1, 2009 #
Amazing. Very creative.
Comment by pragmaticattic — July 1, 2009 #
so far the most creative and amazing bakewell tart i’ve ever seen..
beautiful!!!!!!!!
Comment by sandra — July 2, 2009 #
That’s no bakewell tart! It looks quite amazing though :)
Comment by russ — July 4, 2009 #
that looks pretty amazing!
Comment by jennconspiracy — July 11, 2009 #