Bakewell slice

Bakewell slice is a classic British tea time treat, with layers of pastry, raspberry jam and an almond sponge-like top. It's easy to make and a tasty combination sweet and gently tart flavors.

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Whether you are going all out with a fancy afternoon tea, or simply enjoying a mid-morning or afternoon break, the UK's tradition is all about a cuppa with a little treat on the side. It's much like the Swedish fika tradition (though that's more typically coffee rather than tea), and one well worth keeping.

True, a full afternoon tea will be more of a meal, with English tea sandwiches, British scones with jam and cream, and likely other sweet treats. But for the more everyday, a biscuit (cookie) or slice of cake or similar is much more typical.

This slice is one you may well find alongside tea, however simple or fancy, and it's easy to understand why it is a favorite. Interestingly, it's origins are actually a dish that is these days less well known.

Bakewell pudding, tart and slice

You may have come across Bakewell puddings, tarts and slices before, which are not quite all the same thing, though they have some similarities. The original dish out of the three is Bakewell pudding, which was first made in the town of Bakewell (hence the name) in Yorkshire in the North of England.

Apparently it was potentially an accident, that turned out to be a hit. It was created by a cook at the White Horse Inn in Bakewell, and soon became a signature dessert of the town. You can still find it there, with three different bakeries claiming to have the original recipe.

Bakewell tarts, meanwhile, came about in the early 20th century. These are generally a commercial product, though you can make them at home as well. Most Brits know the commercial version which are mini tarts that you can buy in a box. The homemade version is usually made as a larger tart.

Both sizes consist of a pastry base, topped by jam and an almond sponge, similar to the pudding it takes it's name from but the sponge layer is a bit thinner.

In the mini versions, at least, this is all topped with a layer of fondant icing with a half glacé cherry on top. The homemade versions more often skip the fondant and instead add some flaked almonds (plus at most a drizzle of icing). Unlike the pudding, which you enjoy warm, the tarts are pretty much always room temperature. 

Finally, this Bakewell slice is essentially the homemade tart without the fondant and with almonds on top, and make as more of what you'd call a sheet cake in the US, or a slice in the UK and Australia. That is, it's a square or rectangle that you then cut into slices to serve. 

About each of the layers

This is a relatively easy treat, with no particularly complicated ingredients. It consists of three (or you could argue four) layers:

• A gently sweet shortcrust pastry base - I prefer homemade which comes together pretty easily, either by hand or even easier with a food processor. 
• A layer of jam - traditionally this is either cherry or raspberry, with raspberry probably the most common these days for this slice. I like homemade as I always make lower sugar jams, but if you use bought, I'd recommend a good quality preserves (eg Bonne Maman) which has a high fruit to sugar ratio. 
• An almond sponge/frangipane - frangipane is a creamy almond, egg, butter and sugar mixture, a bit like a more liquid marzipan in some ways. You may recognize it from classic French tarts like many pear or apricot tarts. It often includes some flour as well, as here, but this topping also typically includes some raising agent which a French frangipane usually doesn't. Hence it's a bit of a hybrid, but most importantly it's super tasty. 
• Then, what you could almost argue is a fourth layer, you sprinkle the top with flaked almonds. In the UK, these are usually blanched almonds, but for some reason the US equivalent, sliced almonds, are not. So much as it is a little annoying, I try to rub off as much of the skins before adding as I prefer not to have the skin texture in there.

Tips for making Bakewell slice

• Chill the pastry in the pan before baking - this helps it to not to shrink quite as much when it bakes.
• Blind bake the pastry - this helps to stop it puffing up as it starts baking enough to not have too make bubbles when you ten bake a bit uncovered. I don't recommend skipping pre-baking the pastry - if not, it may not cook through when you add the other layers. And even if it does, it won't be as crisp so it's worth the few minutes it takes.
• Use homemade jam if possible - it will almost definitely taste better. And especially if it is lower sugar, like those I tend to make, you'll get more of the raspberry flavor coming through. You can also add some raspberries on top of the jam as well, if you like, though bear in mind they can make the mixture a little wetter so it may need slightly longer to bake.
• Make sure the topping is well mixed and fluffy - if not, you may get lumps of an ingredient in the end slice which wouldn't be the best. Mixing is generally easiest using both softened butter and an electric mixer, whether handheld or a stand mixer.

Storage tips

To store this, make sure it comes to room temperature first before transferring to a bag or box. You can store this in a sealed container at room temperature for up to three days. It will dry out a bit over time, so if you want to store beyond that, you are better to freeze it.

To freeze, wrap it well either as a single piece or in slices. Ideally, you want to have it double wrapped so eg in foil then a freezer bag or cling wrap/film then a bag or container. You can freeze it up to three months. 

Bakewell slice is a classic British treat, and it's easy to understand why. With a delicious combination of crisp pastry, sweet-tart raspberry and soft almond sponge on top, it's a perfect teatime snack.

Try these other sweet bites perfect for coffee/teatime:

• German plum cake (Pflaumenkuchen, a lovely simple mix of base cake, juicy plums and a streusel topping)
• Lemon slice (a classic Australian no-bake treat combining cookies, coconut and a lemon frosting on top)
• French pear cake (an easy, light cake packed with fresh pears)
• Chocolate tiffin (super easy, no bake and especially loved by kids!)
• Plus get more British recipes and snack recipes, both sweet and savory, in the archives. 

I use this 9x9 inch square baking pan for this that works well (and has a lid, handy for storing any leftovers; affiliate link).

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