An easy recipe made with eggs from our ladies, Pete’s raspberry jam, homemade butter and flour milled by our mate Kevin Sherrie. We don’t always have such insight into where our ingredients come from, but when we do, it’s blissful. It’s based on a recipe in Rachel Allen’s Bake.
Base
- 75g (3oz) unsalted butter
- 25g (1oz) caster sugar
- 1 free range egg yolk
- 175g (6oz) plain (AP) flour
- homemade raspberry jam (about half a jar)
Topping
- 100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large (59g) free range eggs
- 100g (3½oz) ground almonds
- 100g (3½oz) semolina
- 100g (3½oz) caster sugar
- flaked almonds
1. Line 20cm/8″ square brownie pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F or 160C/320F with fan.
2. To make the base: beat the butter with an electric mixer until soft, then beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and beat well. Add the flour and mix to form the shortbread dough.
3. Roll the pastry out (I find it easiest to do this between two sheets of parchment paper) and ease it into the lined tin. Spread a thick layer of jam over the top, then allow the base to chill in the fridge.
4. To make the topping: combine the whole eggs and melted butter, and mix well to combine. Then stir in the ground almonds, semolina and caster sugar.
5. To assemble: remove the cold base from the fridge and carefully blob the topping over the top, gently spreading it out to cover the jam. Try to keep the jam layer even – it’s a bit fiddly. Scatter the flaked almonds over the top and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the slice comes out cleanly. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Bakewell slice
How very nice
Ready in a trice
Keep away from the…..
….possums
Superb baking as always ! xxx
This looks gorgeous and I know it would be very tasty!
I’m fascinated with the different names given to eatables all over the world – I’d love to know how these came to be called Bakewell Slices? Over here (U.S.) they’d be called something like Raspberry Shortbread Bars, or something even more banal.
With all those good ingredients, they no doubt taste as good as they look – but I’d like to know how you folks can concentrate on all these rich, sweet treats without apparent fear? Is there a secret downunder?
Your bakewell looks amazing, Celia.
that looks wonderful! :)
Thank you all! :)
Doc, the secret is to have many, many willing eaters! Teenage sons absorb a lot of it, as do neighbours, the people at the local shops, suppliers at the markets, mothers at school, and so on. Pete said I try to feed anyone who stands still long enough…hahaha
PS. Joanna tells me the slice is named after the English town of Bakewell. I’d like to have that as my hometown! I wonder if every resident there bakes well? :)
A perrenial favourite! Who can resist raspberry jam? Yumm…
I haven’t tasted this oldie but a goldie for ages, in fact I’d forgotten about it, its an awesome feast. Wow…, the memories over this one huh… there were glasses of milk involved & usually a fight with my bro as to who deserved 2nds (thinking it was an after school fave there for awhile).
That looks great. You are making me hungry.
I definitely know the old Bakewell, but don’t think I have ever made one. I think The Monkeys would go for that in a heart beat.
…and I think that’s a lovely claim, to try and feed anyone that stands still long enough :-) Your neighbours must love you to bits!
Lovely, Celia. Bakewell slice always makes me think of my 4 great-aunts for some reason. And I love anything with red jam in it!
Every day you make me more envious of all your fabulous home-grown and local ingredients!
The slice looks yum.
Celia, this looks delish! I actually have cravings for that exact buttery crumb on this slice! Oooh you have tempted me…. guess what I’ll be making this weekend? ;) On a side note, I LOVE how you can pinpoint the origin of all your ingredients, right down to where your flour was milled!! That’s all about what sustainable and wise eating is all about these days, and kudos to you for having achieved that! You inspire us with your garden and food!
Looks great! My oven’s on – think I’ll pop it in while I’m at it.
I’ve just been baking my weeks supply of Bill Granger’s Blueberry & Almond Toasted Museli. It’s my favourite for breakfast with yoghurt.
Celia, how very special that you are always able to use home made and home grown treasures. Fabulous!
:-) Mandy
Yum I want a slice of that now! I love things with jammy centres, especially if it’s of the homemade variety.
Mmm I love Bakewell slice! I made it for the hospital staff when hubby was on hospital and I was so touched as to their response. I really must use that cookbook, it’s just sitting here on the shelf…
Thank you all for your kind comments – I’m glad it brought back so many memories for you!
Suz, Bill Granger’s muesli sounds delicious!
Honey, Mandy, thank you – it is so nice being able to use ingredients we mostly have a handle on. That’s not always the case – for example, when I cook Chinese dishes, there’s often a bottled sauce full of ingredients I don’t even recognise! I figure we just do whatever we can, when we can.. :)
Lorraine, it’s a great book! :)
I’m not sure where everything in what I cook comes from but I have a pretty good feel for where it goes!
I’ve never baked from Rachel Allen…must investigate. These slices look lovely – a great home-from-school treat for my teens too.
Celia, just saw Matthew Evans at Salamanca. So busy that I haven’t even added to my blogs and as far as starting up the Tasmanian one again….well I am nearly close but so busy planting a temporary potted herb garden. Suppose I should blog that feat. Still enjoying your blog in the meantime. Roz
I was just thinking of making something interesting with almonds and I found your lovely recipe. Great to have at teatime. I’d better start working to have a taste, pronto! Cheers!
Lee, can’t argue with that, I guess. :) How’s your garden going?
Sally, I haven’t made a lot of recipes from the book, but the couple I’ve tried have been great!
Roz, Brydie tells me that Gourmet Farmer is going to have a second series – it will be exciting to see what new things he gets up to in Tassie. Will await your new blog post(s) eagerly! :)
Arthur, thanks for stopping by! I adore almonds – can’t get enough of them!
It looks gorgeous Celia – lightly browned and beautiful! It reminds me of a cake my mum used to make when we were much younger – she used a pastry base, then jam and then a standard victoria sponge topping (allergies!) but I think she originally got the idea from bakewell tarts. Yours really does look superb!
We’re so on the same wavelength. I have a delightful recipe for this slice which I can’t believe I’ve never tried, especially loving both almonds and jam in the same dish…..love it
CT would love these Celia – they certainly look good. I love it when you know where everything comes from and some of it has come from your own effort. Tonight I made quiche with locally milled flour, some eggs from a colleague at work and our baked potatoes with of course the wonderful tomato ketchup which makes me think of you every time I have some.
C, thank you! I think this would be lovely with a plain sponge topping!
Oz, fabulous with some of your recent homemade jams, I’m sure!
Choc, thank you! I know you understand how fabulous it is. As I’ve said, we can’t always know where everything comes from, but it’s so nice on the occasions when we can!