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Tasty Mini Almond Tarts

Featured in: Sweet Desserts

Tiny almond tarts are a cherished UK favorite combining flaky shortcrust shells, sweet fruity jam, and rich nutty frangipane in small, snackable portions. Every tart begins with a crunchy shell, gets a spoonful of raspberry jam, and fills up with a fluffy almond mix that rises nicely while baking. They're crowned with a basic white glaze and the signature red cherry half. Though they seem fancy, they're pretty easy to make, especially when you don't skip the important step of cooling the pastry shells. They're great for tea parties, community sales, or whenever you're craving a traditional British snack.
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punchofyummy
Updated on Sat, 29 Mar 2025 21:43:56 GMT
Flaky mini tarts packed with jam, nutty frangipane, and topped with sweet icing. Pin it
Flaky mini tarts packed with jam, nutty frangipane, and topped with sweet icing. | pinchofyummy.com

These Mini Bakewell Tarts are a treasured UK favorite, pairing flaky buttery pastry with tangy raspberry preserves and almond frangipane, finished with simple icing and a cherry on top. These bite-sized goodies offer the perfect mix of crunch, softness, and sweetness that's made them a must-have at teatime for countless years.

While training as a pastry cook in the UK, I found out that nailing these Bakewell tarts means getting each part just right. The first batch where I saw the almond mixture rise perfectly around the jam spots felt like winning the lottery.

Key Ingredients Breakdown

  • Flour: Pick regular flour with medium protein for a soft, tender shell.
  • Butter: Go for high-fat European butter to get that amazing flakiness.
  • Ground Almonds: Always use newly ground, fine almond meal for best results.
  • Raspberry Jam: Grab premium preserves where you can see real fruit chunks.
  • Almond Extract: Don't cheap out here, real extract beats artificial stuff by miles.

Step-By-Step Baking Guide

Step 1: Mastering Your Pastry
Keep everything cold. Throw flour and butter into your food processor and pulse until you see something like coarse sand. Slowly add cold water just until it forms a ball. Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before you roll it out.
Step 2: Whipping Up Frangipane
Cream your butter and sugar until it's pale and fluffy looking. Drop in eggs one by one, mixing completely after each. Then carefully fold in your ground almonds and almond extract without knocking all the air out.
Step 3: Putting Tarts Together
Take your chilled dough and roll it flat, then cut circles to match your tart pans. Push the dough gently into each pan, keeping thickness the same all around. Spread a thin jam layer first, then cover with your frangipane mix. Level the top for even cooking.
Adorable mini Bakewell tarts showing flaky base, fruity jam center, and nutty topping. Pin it
Adorable mini Bakewell tarts showing flaky base, fruity jam center, and nutty topping. | pinchofyummy.com

During last year's holiday baking, I tried adding a tiny bit of salt to the simple icing and it really brought out all the other flavors. Now I can't make these tarts without this little trick.

Sweet mini Bakewell tarts showcasing buttery base, bright jam, and soft almond filling. Pin it
Sweet mini Bakewell tarts showcasing buttery base, bright jam, and soft almond filling. | pinchofyummy.com

These little tarts have become what everyone expects me to bring to tea gatherings. There's something truly magical about seeing friends enjoy these perfect little bites, each one delivering that wonderful mix of crisp base, sweet jam, and rich almond goodness that makes Bakewells so darn popular.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I make these small tarts days before serving?
Sure, they'll stay fresh for 3 days when kept in a sealed box. You can also freeze them without icing for up to 4 weeks.
→ What's the point of cooling the pastry shells?
Cooling stops the shells from getting smaller while baking and helps them keep their shape.
→ Is it okay to switch the jam type?
Though raspberry is the classic choice, any jam works fine. Cherry and strawberry are really good options too.
→ How can I make the pastry without a mixer?
You can easily mix it by hand - just use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until crumbly.
→ My almond mix looks funny and separated - did I mess up?
Don't worry! It often looks split after mixing in eggs but will bake up smooth in the oven.

Mini Almond Jam Tarts

These cute little almond tarts mix flaky pastry with fruity jam and nutty filling, finished with a drizzle of icing and cherry on top for an irresistible snack.

Prep Time
40 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Total Time
58 Minutes
By: Amelia

Category: Sweet Desserts

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: British

Yield: 12 Servings (12 small tarts)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Pastry Bottom

01 150g all-purpose flour, with extra for work surface
02 75g butter (cold and diced)
03 35g powdered sugar
04 1 small egg, whisked

→ Almond Mix

05 100g butter, left out until soft
06 100g fine sugar
07 3 eggs
08 100g almond meal
09 ½ teaspoon almond flavor
10 60g red berry jam

→ Topping

11 100g powdered sugar
12 3 teaspoons water
13 6 candied cherries, sliced in half

Instructions

Step 01

Warm up your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Oil a 12-cup muffin pan and stick a baking tray in the oven to warm up. This trick helps you get crispy bottoms on your treats!

Step 02

Blend the flour with cold butter chunks in a food processor until it looks like sand. Or just use your hands if you want. Stir in the powdered sugar and egg until it forms a ball. Flatten it on a floury surface about 3mm thick and cut out 12 circles for your pan.

Step 03

Wrap your filled pan with plastic and stick it in the fridge for half an hour. Don't skip this step or your shells might shrink!

Step 04

While waiting, make your filling. Mix the soft butter with sugar until fluffy, then add in eggs, almond meal, and flavor. The mix might look weird and separated, but don't worry about it.

Step 05

Grab your chilled shells, poke holes in the bottoms with a fork, drop some jam in each one, and cover with your almond mixture. Put the pan on the hot tray and bake for 15-18 minutes till they turn golden brown.

Step 06

When the little pies are totally cool, stir powdered sugar with water till smooth. Put a swirl on each pie and top with half a candied cherry. Wait for the sugar mix to harden before you eat them.

Notes

  1. These tiny treats stay good for up to 3 days when kept in a sealed container
  2. You can make the empty shells one day ahead and keep them wrapped up in your fridge

Tools You'll Need

  • 12-cup muffin tin
  • Blender or food processor
  • Dough roller
  • 8cm round cookie cutter
  • Flat baking tray
  • Cooling rack

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Has wheat in the flour
  • Contains tree nuts from almond meal
  • Includes dairy from butter
  • Made with eggs

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: ~
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~