I have to tell you, my Mary Berry Bakewell Tart’s feathered icing looks so impossibly professional a cafe would charge double.

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I’m obsessed with Mary Berry Bakewell Tart because it’s loud and honest about what it is: almondy, jammy, a bit sharp and very sliceable. I love the contrast between a brittle pastry and a slick feathered icing that makes it look like you actually tried.

And the cherry notes cut through the frangipane so you don’t get bored. Mentioning Great British Baking Show feels obvious but it’s how I first met it, and I still want it after midnight.

Real ingredients like plain flour and ground almonds, not fluff. I want a big slice now.

No messing, just instant joy.

Ingredients

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Plain flour: makes the pastry hold together, gives that sturdy, slightly flaky bite.
Cold unsalted butter, cubed: gives pockets of buttery flake and rich mouthfeel.
Pinch of salt: wakes up the sweetness, makes the crust taste real.
Egg yolk plus cold water: binds the pastry so it’s not crumbly mess.
Raspberry jam, warmed: sticky, tart layer that cuts through all the richness.
Soft unsalted butter for frangipane: creamy backbone that keeps the filling lush.
Caster sugar: adds sweetness and structure without grainy bits.
Ground almonds: nutty texture, moistness, and that classic marzipan vibe.
Beaten eggs: give the frangipane lift and a bit of protein.
Almond extract: tiny punch of almond aroma, basically signature Bakewell scent.
Icing sugar: makes that sweet, smooth glaze you can feather over top.
Water for icing: thins the icing so it drips prettily, not clumps.
Flaked almonds: crunchy, toasty finish and a pretty, rustic look.

Ingredient Quantities

225g plain flour

110g cold unsalted butter, cubed

pinch of salt

1 large egg yolk plus 2 3 tablespoons cold water (to bind the pastry)

about 4 5 tablespoons raspberry jam, slightly warmed so it’s spreadable

100 110g unsalted butter, softened (for the frangipane)

100 110g caster sugar

100 110g ground almonds

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon almond extract (or a little vanilla if you prefer)

100 150g icing sugar for the topping

a few tablespoons water to make the icing runny enough for feathering

a handful of flaked or slivered almonds to scatter on top

How to Make this

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1. Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan) gas mark 5 and lightly grease a 23cm loose bottom tart tin.

2. Make the pastry by rubbing 225g plain flour with 110g cold cubed unsalted butter and a pinch of salt until it looks like breadcrumbs, then add the yolk plus 2 or 3 tablespoons cold water and bring it together quickly, dont overwork it; chill for at least 30 minutes.

3. Roll the pastry on a floured surface to about 3mm thick and line the tin, trim the edges, prick the base lightly with a fork and chill again for 10 minutes to stop shrinking.

4. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice, blind bake for 15 minutes, remove paper and beans and bake another 5 minutes until the base is just set and the sides are pale golden; leave to cool slightly.

5. Spread about 4 to 5 tablespoons slightly warmed raspberry jam evenly over the tart base but leave a small rim so the frangipane wont spill over.

6. Make the frangipane: beat together 100 to 110g softened unsalted butter and 100 to 110g caster sugar until pale, stir in 100 to 110g ground almonds, then beat in the 2 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon almond extract (or a little vanilla) until smooth.

7. Spoon the frangipane on top of the jam, level gently with the back of a spoon and scatter a handful of flaked or slivered almonds on top.

8. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the frangipane is risen and golden and a skewer comes out clean, cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. For the icing, mix 100 to 150g icing sugar with a few tablespoons of water until just runny enough to feather but not too thin; pour into the center of the tart and drag a skewer from the centre to the edge to create the feathered pattern, wipe the skewer between strokes.

10. Let the icing set for 30 minutes, then slice and serve; store airtight in a cool place for up to 2 days or in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 190C / 170C fan)
2. 23cm loose-bottom tart tin, lightly greased
3. Rolling pin and a floured work surface
4. Mixing bowls (one for pastry, one for frangipane)
5. Pastry cutter or fingertips and a bench scraper to trim the edges
6. Baking paper and baking beans or rice for blind baking
7. Wooden spoon or electric mixer and spatula for the frangipane
8. Wire cooling rack and a skewer for testing and feathering the icing

FAQ

What if my pastry cracks when I roll it out?

Chill it for 10 minutes, then patch with a bit of extra dough and press gently. If it keeps cracking the butter might be too warm, so cool the whole disk in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling again.

Can I use a different jam or fruit spread instead of raspberry?

Yes. Raspberry is classic, but strawberry, blackberry or apricot work well. Use a slightly tart jam so it cuts through the sweet frangipane.

My frangipane looks wet in the middle after the listed baking time. Is it undercooked?

The center should be just set and springy, not liquid. If it jiggles a lot, bake another 8 to 12 minutes. Oven temps vary, so watch for a pale golden top and a toothpick coming out with moist crumbs, not batter.

How do I get a nice feathered icing on top?

Make the icing a bit runny, spread it quickly over the cooled tart, then drag a toothpick from one side to the other in parallel lines. Drag perpendicular lines through those lines to make the feathered look. Work fast before the icing sets.

Can I make parts of this ahead?

Sure. You can blind bake the tart shell a day ahead and keep it covered. Frangipane mixes and jam can be made a day ahead too. Assemble and bake on the day you want to serve for best texture.

What about dietary swaps, like vegan or gluten free?

For gluten free use a cup for cup GF flour and be gentle with handling. Vegan needs more swaps: vegan butter, a flax or chia egg for the frangipane might change texture, and ground almonds help but the result will be different from the original.

Mary’s Bakewell Tart Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Plain flour: you can swap for a 1 to 1 gluten free plain flour blend if you need GF baking, it behaves pretty much the same. Or try plain wholemeal pastry flour for a nuttier, denser base but don’t expect it to be quite as light.
Cold unsalted butter (for the pastry): use cold vegetable shortening or chilled lard if you want a flakier crust and longer shelf life. Note it’ll change the flavour a bit, shortening gives a blander, more neutral taste.
Raspberry jam: apricot jam is a classic swap and works beautifully with frangipane, or use strawberry preserves if that’s what you’ve got. For a zesty twist, lemon curd is great but it will make the tart tangier and less traditionally Bakewell.
Ground almonds: almond meal works fine if it’s a bit coarser, or use finely ground hazelnuts for a richer, toasty flavour. If you’re allergic to nuts, try a 1 to 1 swap with oat flour but expect a different texture and slightly less lift.

Pro Tips

1. Chill everything and be patient. Keep the pastry cold at all times — if the butter warms up the crust will toughen and shrink. If it gets a bit soft, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes rather than kneading it more, you’ll thank me later.

2. Warm the jam but don’t make it runny. Gently heat it so it spreads without tearing the blind-baked base, but leave a small dry rim around the edge so the frangipane can rise without spilling over.

3. Don’t overbeat the frangipane once you add the eggs. Mix until just smooth; overbeating traps air and can make the filling crack or sink as it cools. If you want extra almond punch, lightly toast the ground almonds first and let them cool.

4. Watch the bake, not just the clock. Oven temps vary, so check about 5 minutes before the shorter time. The centre should be set and a skewer come out mostly clean — a few moist crumbs are okay. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.

5. Make the icing slightly thicker than you think and thin with water a tablespoon at a time. Pour into the centre and feather quickly while it’s fluid; wipe the skewer between pulls to keep lines neat. Leftover tart keeps better at cool room temp for a day, but refrigerate if your kitchen is warm.

Mary’s Bakewell Tart Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

I have to tell you, my Mary Berry Bakewell Tart's feathered icing looks so impossibly professional a cafe would charge double.

Servings

servings

Calories

552

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 190C / 170C fan)
2. 23cm loose-bottom tart tin, lightly greased
3. Rolling pin and a floured work surface
4. Mixing bowls (one for pastry, one for frangipane)
5. Pastry cutter or fingertips and a bench scraper to trim the edges
6. Baking paper and baking beans or rice for blind baking
7. Wooden spoon or electric mixer and spatula for the frangipane
8. Wire cooling rack and a skewer for testing and feathering the icing

Ingredients

225g plain flour
110g cold unsalted butter, cubed
pinch of salt
1 large egg yolk plus 2 3 tablespoons cold water (to bind the pastry)
about 4 5 tablespoons raspberry jam, slightly warmed so it's spreadable
100 110g unsalted butter, softened (for the frangipane)
100 110g caster sugar
100 110g ground almonds
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract (or a little vanilla if you prefer)
100 150g icing sugar for the topping
a few tablespoons water to make the icing runny enough for feathering
a handful of flaked or slivered almonds to scatter on top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan) gas mark 5 and lightly grease a 23cm loose bottom tart tin.
Make the pastry by rubbing 225g plain flour with 110g cold cubed unsalted butter and a pinch of salt until it looks like breadcrumbs, then add the yolk plus 2 or 3 tablespoons cold water and bring it together quickly, dont overwork it; chill for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the pastry on a floured surface to about 3mm thick and line the tin, trim the edges, prick the base lightly with a fork and chill again for 10 minutes to stop shrinking.
Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice, blind bake for 15 minutes, remove paper and beans and bake another 5 minutes until the base is just set and the sides are pale golden; leave to cool slightly.
Spread about 4 to 5 tablespoons slightly warmed raspberry jam evenly over the tart base but leave a small rim so the frangipane wont spill over.
Make the frangipane: beat together 100 to 110g softened unsalted butter and 100 to 110g caster sugar until pale, stir in 100 to 110g ground almonds, then beat in the 2 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon almond extract (or a little vanilla) until smooth.
Spoon the frangipane on top of the jam, level gently with the back of a spoon and scatter a handful of flaked or slivered almonds on top.
Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the frangipane is risen and golden and a skewer comes out clean, cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing, mix 100 to 150g icing sugar with a few tablespoons of water until just runny enough to feather but not too thin; pour into the center of the tart and drag a skewer from the centre to the edge to create the feathered pattern, wipe the skewer between strokes.
Let the icing set for 30 minutes, then slice and serve; store airtight in a cool place for up to 2 days or in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.