Bakewell Pudding

Let’s get one thing straight: a Bakewell pudding and a Bakewell tart are not the same thing, and the good people of Bakewell, Derbyshire will tell you so with feeling.

The pudding came first, supposedly born from a kitchen accident at the Rutland Arms Hotel in the 1800s. Puff pastry lines the dish, a generous layer of strawberry jam goes down, and then comes the filling: a rich, buttery blend of egg yolks, beaten whites, sugar, and almond extract.

The filling is meant to stay soft and custardy, not set firm like a frangipane. That wobbly, silky center is what makes this a pudding, not a tart.

It’s a piece of English baking history in every spoonful.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t overbake this. The filling should be golden on top but still soft and trembling in the center when you pull it from the oven. It firms up slightly as it cools.
• Use a good-quality strawberry jam with visible fruit. Cheap jam melts into nothing and loses its presence under the custard.
• Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly before adding the yolks. This builds the light, airy texture that separates a proper pudding from a dense one.
• Serve warm with a jug of fresh cream or a scoop of clotted cream. Cold custard and warm pudding is a combination the English got very right.