Raspberry Bakewell Slice

Cake number 4 for EHH’s birthday. This is one of my favourite recipes, although a bit of a faff to make! It’s originally from GoodFood magazine a couple of years ago and I’ve made it several times. It can be eaten warm, with custard or cream, as a dessert, or it’s just as great cold – ideally with a cup of tea!

The original recipe suggested using Guernsey butter (which, as a Guernsey Girl, I’d highly recommend!) but I’ve not managed to find any available around here, so I use Kerrygold – an Irish butter, which is lovely and soft at room temperature.

The GF recipe suggests using defrosted frozen raspberries – I usually just use fresh. I also added in the step of glazing the pastry with egg/egg white and re-baking – something suggested by Mary Berry to ensure a lovely crispy pastry layer.

Not a very good picture as I finally finished cooking this one late at night and it was still cooling - so I couldn't take it out of the tin! EHH whipped it off to work early in the morning before I was up - so no chance to take a photo of what the slices look like! 

Raspberry Bakewell Slice

Ingredients

1. 375g pack sweet shortcrust pastry
2. 1 egg / egg white
3. 5 tbsp thick seedless raspberry jam
4. 100g raspberries,
5. 25g flaked almonds
6. 4 tbsp apricot jam

For the sponge

1. 200g butter, very soft, plus a little extra for the tin
2. 200g golden caster sugar
3. 100g ground almonds
4. 100g self-raising flour
5. 1 tsp baking powder
6. ½ tsp almond extract
7. 4 eggs, beaten

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
2. Line the base and sides of a buttered traybake tin, about 18-20cm x 30cm, with baking parchment.
3. Roll out the pastry to line. Lift into the tin and evenly press right into the corners. Prick with a fork and chill for 20 mins.
4. Bake the pastry for 8-10 mins until it's cooked but not too coloured.
5. Brush with the egg / egg white and bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Cool for a few mins and turn down the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
7. Spread the raspberry jam over the pastry and scatter over the raspberries.
8. For the sponge, put all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft and very well mixed.
9. Spoon this over the raspberry layer, then smooth evenly.
10. Scatter over the flaked almonds and bake for 35-40 mins (I find it takes much longer – usually about an hour) until golden and firm.
11. Cool completely in the tin. Will freeze for up to 3 months - overwrap the tin with baking parchment and foil beforehand.

To serve, thaw for 4 hrs at room temperature, then reheat in a low oven. Melt the apricot jam with 1 tbsp water and brush over the top of the sponge just before serving.