Mini Cherry Bakewell Tarts
Delicious mini tarts with buttery shortcrust pastry, a soft almond frangipane, and a bright hit of cherry jam, perfect for afternoon tea or gatherings.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 250 g plain (all-purpose) flour substitute 50 g with wholemeal for a nuttier base
- 60 g icing (powdered) sugar
- 125 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed use a dairy-free block if avoiding dairy
- 2 large egg yolks reserve whites for another use
- 2-4 tbsp ice-cold water to bring pastry together
For the frangipane
- 60 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 60 g caster sugar superfine sugar; granulated is acceptable
- 60 g ground almonds substitute equal weight hazelnut for a different nut profile
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 tsp alcohol-free almond flavouring use vanilla if alcohol-free almond flavouring is unavailable
For assembly and icing
- Cherry jam or conserve a spoonful per tart seedless preserves work best
- 100 g icing (powdered) sugar for icing
- 3-5 tsp milk to thin icing (use plant milk if needed)
- 12 pieces glacé cherries, halved fresh cherries are fine as an alternative
Instructions
For the pastry
- Pulse flour and icing sugar with cold cubed butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. If doing by hand, rub butter into flour and sugar with fingertips.
- Add the two egg yolks and 2 tbsp ice-cold water. Pulse or mix until the dough just comes together. Add the remaining water a teaspoon at a time only if needed; the dough should hold when pressed.
- Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick and line mini tart tins (12 x 7–8 cm tartlets or a 12-hole muffin tin) pressing gently. Trim excess.
- Chill the lined tins for 15 minutes, then blind-bake: prick bases with a fork, line with parchment, fill with baking beans, and bake at 190°C/375°F for 12–15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and bake another 5 minutes until dry but not browned. Reduce oven to 180°C/350°F for the frangipane step.
For the frangipane
- Beat 60 g softened butter with caster sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the egg and alcohol-free almond flavouring and beat until combined.
- Fold in ground almonds to make a thick paste. If the mix seems too loose, chill briefly — you want a pipeable yet stable filling.
To bring it together
- Spoon about 1 tsp cherry jam into each partially baked tart shell.
- Top with roughly 1–1½ tbsp frangipane, smoothing or piping to an even layer. Leave a little space as frangipane will rise slightly.
- Bake at 180°C/350°F for 15–18 minutes or until the frangipane is puffed and lightly golden.
- Cool in tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Mix 100 g icing sugar with 3–5 tsp milk to a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled tarts and top each with a glacé cherry half.
Notes
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or clotted cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze un-iced tartlets for up to 2 months.