Rhubarb and Apricot Bakewell Slices
Information would tell you that rhubarb is technically a vegetable but wisdom says not to include it in soup! It is typically used in sweet dishes and here we combine it with apricot to make an incredible summer bakewell. One of our all-time favourite desserts! Steve was working in the kitchen recently and we got a delivery from the farm with rhubarb and a box of bruised apricots came in and that was the inspiration for this dish!
Takes 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 12
Ingredients
- 1 sheet pre rolled vegan shortcrust pastry 320g
Rhubarb and apricot jam
- 200 g rhubarb
- 200 g fresh apricots
- 50 ml water
- 200 g caster sugar
Frangipane
- 200 g ground almonds
- 175 g caster sugar
- 125 g self raising flour
- 150 ml plant based butter
- 120 ml water
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 25 g flaked almonds
Instructions
Make the Jam
- This is technically more of a compote than jam which actually makes it easier to work with and quicker to make. Using a small knife cut the apricots in half, remove the stone and slice into thin slices. Finely slice the rhubarb. In a large saucepan add the sugar, water, and mix until the sugar dissolves in the water then add the rhubarb and half of the apricots. Turn the heat on high, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb has broken down and it starts to thicken and resemble a very thick soup. If you dont texture you can blend till smooth but we prefer to leave some fruit pieces in it. Set aside to cool
- Preheat oven to 180 C fan assisted.
Roll out pastry and blind bake
- Defrost the pastry if using frozen.
- Roll out the pastry. Line a 25 x 18cm (3.5cm deep) sized dish with parchment paper. Transfer the pastry to the tray and trim it to roughly fit your tray (no need to bring it up the sides).
- Next we have to blind bake pastry. To do this, line with another sheet of parchment paper on top of the pastry and fill with cooking beans or dried beans (approx 200g). Bake in the oven for 10 mins – remove the beans and top baking parchment, and pop back in the oven for 5 mins so the base cooks. Remove and allow to cool.
Make frangipane
- Make the frangipane while pastry is blind baking. Sieve the flour and sugar into the almond meal in a large mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and mix to combine with a whisk so there are no lumps. For the wet ingredients, melt the butter and mix it with the almond extract and 120ml of water until well combined. Add into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined into a smooth batter.
Add jam layer on top of pastry
- Add the rhubarb and apricot jam to the cooked cooled pastry and spread an even layer over the pastry.
Add frangipane on top and bake
- Carefully spoon the frangipane or almond mixture on top of the jam layer. It will be quite a thick batter so carefully spread it over the jam so it’s fully covered.
- Spread the remaining sliced apricots over the frangipane in a design or pattern that you like, we went for 5 layers and scatter the flaked almonds over the top.
- Bake for 50 mins until golden on top and a skewer comes out dry or almost dry. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully in the tray before cutting. We like to cut our bakewells into thin slices or else fingers, approx 3 x 6 cm (you should get 12-18 fingers) but portion into your preferred size and slice. Enjoy!
