{{Short description|English shortcrust pastry}} {{Use British English|date=December 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox prepared food | name = Bakewell tart | image = Bakewell tart on a plate.jpg | image_size = 240px | caption = A slice of Bakewell tart | alternate_name = | country = England | region = Derbyshire Dales | creator = | course = Dessert | served = Warm (freshly baked) or cold | main_ingredient = Ground almond, jam, shortcrust pastry, frangipane | variations = Gloucester tart | calories = | other = }}
The '''Bakewell tart''' is a traditional British cake originating in the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire, England. It consists of a shortcrust pastry shell filled with layers of raspberry jam{{clarification needed|reason=What kind of jam? What is the "traditional" (as attested in the section on the Bakewell Tart Shop below), and what are the most popular modern variants - supported by a reliable citation.|date=July 2025}} and frangipane—a sweet almond-flavoured custard—topped with flaked almonds.
This dessert is a variant of the earlier Bakewell pudding.
==History== The Bakewell tart evolved from the Bakewell pudding in the early 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web |last=andy |date=2022-08-11 |title=The history of the Bakewell tart - communibakes |url=https://communibakes.co.uk/2022/08/11/the-history-of-the-bakewell-tart/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-16 |language=en-GB}}</ref>{{AI-retrieved source|date=March 2026|checked=no}} The Bakewell pudding itself is believed to have been created accidentally in the 19th century at the White Horse Inn. According to one account, the landlady, Mrs. Greaves, instructed her cook to prepare a jam tart, but the cook mistakenly spread the almond paste mixture on top of the jam rather than mixing it into the pastry, resulting in a new dessert.{{cn|date=July 2025}}
Over time, the Bakewell tart emerged as a distinct variation, featuring a shortcrust pastry base and a filling of jam and frangipane, topped with flaked almonds. The exact timeline of this evolution is debated, with some sources suggesting it occurred around 1820, while others propose as late as 1860. The first printed recipe for the Bakewell Pudding appeared in Eliza Acton's 1845 cookbook, ''Modern Cookery for Private Families''.
== The Bakewell Tart Shop == The Bakewell Tart Shop is a long-standing family-owned business in the heart of Bakewell, and it has been producing Bakewell tarts for over 100 years. The shop was the first to sell Bakewell Tarts commercially and is widely recognised for preserving the traditional recipe, which is known only to two people.<ref name=bb>{{Cite web |last=Business |first=Bakery |date=2025-03-03 |title=THE BAKEWELL TART SHOP CELEBRATES MILESTONE |url=https://bakerybusiness.com/story.php?s=2025-03-03-the-bakewell-tart-shop-celebrates-milestone#:~:text=%22The%20past%20five%20years%20have,be%20the%20best%20way%20forward.%22 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=bakerybusiness.com |language=en}}</ref>
The original Bakewell tart recipe is distinctive in its use of a "wet mixture" in the frangipane, passed down through generations, which results in a moister and more flavourful tart compared to other versions.<ref name=bb/>
== National Bakewell Tart Day == National Bakewell Tart Day is celebrated annually on the last Wednesday of June. Established in 2024, this day honours the rich history and enduring popularity of this dessert.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=National Bakewell Tart Day |url=https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/national-bakewell-tart-day/#utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Days Of The Year |language=en}}</ref>{{AI-retrieved source|date=March 2026|checked=no}}
==See also== * List of almond dishes * List of pastries * List of pies, tarts and flans * {{Portal-inline|Food}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.bakewell.co.uk/bakewell-pudding-or-bakewell-tart Bakewell Pudding or Bakewell Tart? – Bakewell.co.uk]
{{British pies}} {{English cuisine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bakewell Tart}} Category:British desserts Category:Culture in Derbyshire Category:English cuisine Category:Sweet pies Category:Almond desserts Category:Foods with jam Category:English desserts Category:British tarts Category:Bakewell