This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate, and a King Arthur Baking affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Cranberry Bakewell Tart recipe is my attempt at a traditional British tea pastry. Lined with a buttery shortbread crust, and filled with almond cream (frangipane) and a thick delicious cranberry sauce, it received a thumbs up from our daughters.
(Post modified on 12/6/23.)
A couple years ago, when we were preparing for our youngest daughters’ bridal shower (a Traditional English Tea Bridal Shower) I spent a lot of time researching traditional tea foods.
One of the recipes that I saw time and again, was for a British Bakewell Tart. After watching an episode of the The Great British Bake Off I then learned even more about the tart. I love that show.
My Bakewell tart adventure began by making a traditional tart with a thin spreading of raspberry jam, and also a hint of rose flavoring. Notice in the picture above that I also overbaked it a tad.
After tasting it, my daughters and I agreed that there needed to be more jam. Maybe it’s because we’re from America? I don’t know. We were not very wild about the rose flavoring, either.
This tart recipe is a holiday version of my first attempt that has a thick cranberry sauce in place of the raspberry jam. FYI, this is the same cranberry sauce that I use in my Cranberry Pound Cake recipe. See more Cranberry Recipes Here.
Plus, I added a couple tablespoons of Asbach Uralt (German Brandy) to the almond cream. Yum!
More Holiday Baking Ideas
- Gingerbread House with Royal Icing
- Christmas Yule Log
- Orange-Glazed Cranberry Fruitcake
- Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
Ingredients for Cranberry Bakewell Tart
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Shortbread Crust
- pastry flour
- powdered sugar
- salt
- cold butter
- large egg yolk (reserve the egg white for the filling)
- cold water
Cranberry Sauce
- fresh cranberries
- granulated sugar
- lemon juice
- ground cinnamon
- Fiori di Sicilia
Almond Filling
- softened butter
- granulated sugar
- salt
- almond flour
- large egg + egg white
- brandy
- vanilla extract
- almond extract
- freshly grated nutmeg
- sliced almonds (for garnishing)
Instructions for Making This Recipe
To begin, gather your equipment and ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. You’ll need a 9″ tart pan for this recipe.
Make the Shortbread Crust
In a medium bowl, combine the pastry flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Using a blending fork or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until it turns crumbly.
Add the egg yolk and water to the flour mixture and combine until it forms a nice dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12″ circle (large enough to fit a 9″ tart pan).
Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan, gently pressing the dough to form into the ribbed edges of the pan. I allowed about 1/2″ of overhang and folded it down along the outside of the tart to help reinforce the pastry.
Using the tines of a fork, poke holes around the bottom.
Poking holes in the pastry will help keep it from bubbling up as it bakes.
Freeze the crust for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
After the crust has chilled, blind bake the crust by lining it with parchment paper and filling it with dried beans or pie weights, if you have them.
To Blind Bake a pie crust, I like to wad up a piece of parchment paper (so that it fits the pan better) and then fill the crust with dried beans. I also set the tart pan on a baking sheet to catch any butter that might drip from the crust.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and beans (or pie weights) and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the edges and bottom become a light golden brown.
Prepare the Cranberry Sauce
While the crust bakes, prepare the cranberry sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and Fiori di Sicilia.
Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until cranberries begin to burst, stirring frequently. As it cools, mash the sauce with a fork or potato masher. Cool completely.
Make the Filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt until soft and fluffy.
Add in the almond flour, large egg + the egg white reserved from the pastry crust, brandy, vanilla extract, almond extract, and freshly grated nutmeg. Mix until incorporated.
Assemble the Tart
To assemble the tart, spread the cranberry sauce onto the bottom of the cooled crust.
Spoon the almond mixture over the cranberries and gently spread it to the edges of the crust. Smooth out the surface.
Generously sprinkle sliced almonds over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool on a rack. When ready to serve, unmold the tart and transfer it to a serving plate.
Serve at room temperature with your favorite tea. This tart will serve 10-12 people.
Watch for my new recipe for Bakewell Mincemeat Tart, coming soon!
See more Desserts Here. Browse Tea Party Ideas Here. View Holiday Baking Recipes Here.
Cranberry Bakewell Tart
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups pastry flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 1 large egg yolk (reserve the egg white for the filling)
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For the Cranberry Sauce:
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
For the Almond Filling (Frangipane):
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1 large large egg + egg white
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- sliced almonds for garnishing
Instructions
- To begin, gather your equipment and ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. You'll need a 9" tart pan for this recipe.
Make the Shortbread Crust
- In a medium bowl, combine the pastry flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Using a blending fork or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until it turns crumbly. Add the egg yolk and water to the flour mixture and combine until it forms a nice dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12" circle (large enough to fit a 9" tart pan). Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan, gently pressing the dough to form into the ribbed edges of the pan. I allowed about 1/2" of overhang and folded it down to help reinforce the pastry.
- Using the tines of a fork, poke holes around the bottom.
- Freeze the crust for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Blind Bake the Crust
- After the crust has chilled, blind bake the crust by lining it with parchment paper and filling it with dried beans or pie weights, if you have them.
- To Blind Bake a pie crust, I like to wad up a piece of parchment paper (so that it fits the pan better) and then fill the crust with dried beans. I also set the tart pan on a baking sheet to catch any butter that might drip from the crust.
- Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and beans (or pie weights) and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the edges and bottom become a light golden brown.
Prepare the Cranberry Sauce
- While the crust bakes, prepare the cranberry sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and Fiori di Sicilia.
- Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until cranberries begin to burst, stirring frequently. As it cools, mash the sauce with a fork or potato masher. Cool completely.
Make the Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt until soft and fluffy. Add in the almond flour, large egg + the egg white reserved from the pastry crust, brandy, vanilla extract, almond extract, and freshly grated nutmeg. Mix until incorporated.
Assembling the Tart
- To assemble the tart, spread the cranberry sauce onto the bottom of the cooled crust.
- Spoon the almond mixture over the cranberries and gently spread it to the edges of the crust. Smooth out the surface.
- Generously sprinkle sliced almonds over the top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool on a rack. When ready to serve, unmold the tart and transfer it to a serving plate.
- Serve at room temperature with your favorite tea. This tart will serve 10-12 people.
Notes
