Bakewell Trifles Food

EASY BAKEWELL TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water, mixing to form a soft dough.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 20cm/8in flan tin. Leave in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (180C fan).
• Line the pastry case with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for about 15 minutes, then remove the beans and foil and cook for a further five minutes to dry out the base.
• For the filing, spread the base of the flan generously with raspberry jam.
• Melt the butter in a pan, take off the heat and then stir in the sugar. Add ground almonds, egg and almond extract. Pour into the flan tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
• Bake for about 35 minutes. If the almonds seem to be browning too quickly, cover the tart loosely with foil to prevent them burning.
• Meanwhile, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in cold water and transfer to a piping bag.
• Once you have removed the tart from the oven, pipe the icing over the top, giving an informal zig zag effect.

TRADITIONAL BAKEWELL TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch pie plate. Whisk together the flour, ground almonds, and baking powder; set aside.
• Roll the pie crust pastry into a round shape a little larger than the pie plate. Cut off a 1/2-inch wide strip from the edge of the pastry circle, and line the lower sides of the pie plate with the strip, placing the cut side upwards (the pastry will not reach the rim of the pie plate). Dampen the strip with water, then place the remaining pie pastry circle into the pie plate, pressing to seal the edges of the circle onto the strip where the pastry overlaps. This will create a crust that is slightly thicker around the lower edges. Spread the strawberry jam evenly over the center of the pastry shell.
• Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy. Whisk the egg together with the lemon zest, and add gradually to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Gently fold the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, into the egg mixture, folding until just incorporated. Spread the batter over the jam in the pie shell.
• Bake the tart in the preheated oven until the filling is firmly set and browned, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

MARY'S ROYAL CHERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• First, make the custard. Tip the caster sugar, cornflour and vanilla into a mixing bowl and add the eggs and egg yolk. Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth and blended.
• Pour the milk and double cream into a pan and heat gently until hot, but do not boil. Pour this over the egg mixture and immediately whisk until blended. Wash the pan to remove any scum from the milk and pour the custard back into the clean pan. Heat gently, stirring constantly until thickened. Don't panic if the custard starts to look lumpy as it thickens, just continue to heat and whisk until the custard is thick and smooth. Pour into a jug and cover the surface of the custard with cling film to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool.
• Tip the stoned cherries into a pan with half the jam or conserve and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 mins until softened and saucy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
• Spread half the slices of Madeira cake generously with the remaining cherry jam. Sandwich with the remaining cake slices, then cut in half. Pour the kirsch or brandy into a shallow bowl, dip each sponge sandwich into the liqueur, then arrange in the base of the trifle dish (you will need a shallow, straight-sided, 20cm round glass dish about 5cm deep). Line the edges of the dish first to create a stripy effect, then fill in the centre with the remaining sandwiches, pouring over any remaining liquid.
• Spoon over the cherries and any juice from the pan, then scatter over the broken biscuits. Pour over the cooled custard, then spread whipped cream over the top. Decorate with fresh whole cherries and chill for a few hours, or make it a day ahead and chill for up to 24 hours before serving.