Tarts & Pies, Lesson #3 - Apple and Orange Bakewell Tart

Tarts and Pies are generally made of a pastry crust base, with fillings that are either sweet or savoury. They are both quite similar in structure. In fact, the French word “tarte” also means Pie. A pie is usually covered, with a filling on the inside, whilst tarts have a filling over the pastry base and are generally left uncovered.

The history of tarts and pies dates back as far as the early origin of flour dough and the invention of the oven. The earliest ovens were simply clay pots heated by placing fire on the inside; to help keep the juices of the filling from escaping and getting burnt, the meat fillings were wrapped in a cover made of dough before being placed in the ovens to bake, thus resulting in the coming to be of the very first Pie.

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About Apple and Orange Bakewell Tart 

Apple and Orange Bakewell Tarts consist of a sweet short crust pastry case filled with cooked apples, spread with orange marmalade and a soft almond sponge. The almond sponge is also known as a frangipane consisting of ground almonds, sugar and eggs, beaten together to form a paste and is often topped with almond flakes and icing sugar. 

It is believed that the Bakewell tart originated in Derbyshire town of Bakewell, England, in a small pub called the Rutland Arms. However, in 1820, this dessert came to be popularly known as Bakewell pudding and consisted of a flaky pastry base spread with jam and filled with egg and almond paste. 

Today the recipe has evolved from the initial ones. The most common recipe calls fora sweet short crust pastry with a layer of jam and a ground almond paste and when baked it becomes an almond sponge. Many of these recipes are glazed with a cherry/apricot jam to give the dish a beautiful shine. 

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This Dish

The flaky crisp tart shell filled with a layer of tangy orange marmalade, layered with stewed spiced apples, topped with a light almond sponge, garnished with flaked almonds and subtly brushed with an apricot jam glaze, dusted with icing sugar and is best served hot with vanilla ice cream.

To learn more about the popular types of Tarts & Pies, you can go through the introductory lesson  - Creative Baking... Tarts & Pies! ‍

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Recipe Card

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‍Method of Cooking

1. Put the butter & sugar in a mixing bowl and beat well until creamy and fluffy. Stir in the egg, flour and combine together. Turn the pastry onto a flowered surface and gently bring together into a small ball. Wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Line the base of 25 cm loose-bottomed tart tin with baking paper/parchment and grease the sides. Roll the pastry out into 30 cm circles, carefully lift it into the tin and pinch it gently around the edges, using two fingers and your thumb. If the pastry is thin enough, don’t prick the base.
3. Peel the apples and cube them. Set aside in a
4. Crumble up a sheet of grease proof paper, flatten it out again and use it to line the base and the pastry case. Fill the centre with dried beans or ceramic baking beans; this is called baking blind. Bake the pastry case for 10 minutes, and then carefully remove the beans and paper and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire
5. Put the apples in a medium saucepan with 25 g butter and 25 g of sugar. Put the pan over low heat and cook gently (simmer) until the apples soften, approximately 10
6. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Put the remaining butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat well until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs, flour, baking powder and ground almonds, and then mix in the milk to get a dropping consistency.
7. To assemble the tart, spread an even layer of marmalade over the cooked pastry case and top with the apple mixture. Evenly pipe the filling with a 10 mm plain nozzle, over the apple mixture and finish with a generous sprinkling of flaked
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and
9. Serve warm with whipped