Bakewell Jam Slice

Best part about this blogging caper is you get to meet (online) many like-minded people, especially those who love cooking and baking as much as you. One such sweetheart is Bree from Twinkle in the Eye. Bree made a delicious pot of plum jam the other day and I commented on how I could go for some of that for morning tea. Bree, ever so kindly, sent me a jar. How good is that? When it arrived I was dying to try it on a piece of toast, because isn’t that the best way to eat jam? But I couldn’t wait and dipped my finger in the jar. It really was yummy. I wanted to bake with it and had always wanted to try a Bakewell Tart but found this recipe for a Bakewell Jam Slice.

I just so happened to have almond meal on hand for this recipe. It can be pretty expensive to buy but you can use normal almonds, still with the skin on, blitzed in the food processor for a cheaper option.

Purist bakers, don’t read my version of the recipe. I’m all for baking the traditional way, creaming butter and sugar, kneading dough etc but there never seems to be enough hours in the day these days so I try and melt and mix every recipe. So far, so good.

The pastry base is par baked before adding the jam and almond meal sponge-like topping.

Just look at all of that sticky plum goodness.

Bakewell Jam Slice
(based on Best Recipes recipe)

Base:

• 1 cup plain flour (normal or gluten free)
• 90g butter, melted
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 tbs water

Topping:

• 185g butter, melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 cup almond meal
• 3/4 cup plain flour (normal or gluten free)
• 1/2 cup jam (any kind, I used plum)
• 1/4 cup flaked almonds

1. Preheat oven to 210 deg C.
2. Grease a shallow 27x18cm tin with melted butter and line base with baking paper.
3. For base, mix flour, sugar, melted butter and water until combined.
4. Press into prepared tin and bake for approx 5 mins, remove from oven and allow to cool.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 180 deg C.
6. For topping, melt butter, add sugar and stir until sugar is nearly dissolved.
7. Add each egg, one at a time, beating until combined.
8. Add almond meal and flour. Stir until combined.
9. Spread jam over pastry base.
10. Pour topping over and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
11. Bake for approx 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.
12. Cool in tin and cut into fingers when cold.