My Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares with a hint of lemon are a delicious variation on traditional Bakewell Tarts.
I have a serious weakness for Bakewell Tarts, a classic British teatime treat. In fact, I love them so much, I developed an easier version of this classic treat, my Raspberry Bakewell Tart Squares.
The recipe did so well on the blog – friends even posted photographs of their delicious versions on Facebook – I was keen to develop a variation or two. I love blueberries, so I decided to start there. Then I got to thinking about how well lemon goes with blueberries and before long, my Lemon and Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares recipe was underway.
Lemon and Blueberries – A Winning Flavour Combination
Lemon is a natural partner to blueberries, a bit of tart to their sweet goodness. I decided to use a traditional British ingredient, lemon curd. First mentioned in British cookery book in 1844 as a sort of savoury curd cheese made from lemon juice and cream, lemon curd now refers to a thick, sweet lemon conserve. You can buy lemon curd in the grocery store (it’s usually with the jams). Of course you can always make homemade lemon curd but you will lose the quick and easy element of this recipe! I also used lemon extract and lemon rind for a tasty trifecta of lemon flavour.
Is This Recipe Gluten-Free?
This recipe is not gluten-free. However, friend Sandi of Fearless Dining developed a gluten-free version of this recipe Easy Gluten Free Strawberry Lemon Bakewell Tart Squares when we got together at her house a few years ago.
Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares – An Easy Teatime Treat
I dream of being the sort of person who has homemade pastry chilled and ready to roll in the fridge but so far, that just hasn’t happened. I use ready-made pastry in my Lemon and Blueberry Bakewell Tart for this very reason – the recipe is supposed to be low effort after all! However if you want to use your own homemade pastry, please do!
Prefer Raspberries? Check out my Raspberry Bakewell Tart Squares!
How To Serve
Lemon and Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares are perfect on their own with a cup of tea or dress them up with some good vanilla ice cream and take them out for dessert. They also make a delicious addition to an Afternoon Tea menu.
Lemon and Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares – Printable Recipe
Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares
Ingredients
- 1 sheet shortcrust pastry to fill a 9 x 13 inch tart pan You can use homemade pastry if you prefer
- 1¼ cup ground almonds
- ¾ cup all purpose flour All purpose flour is also known as plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease the pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- grated rind of one lemon
- 1½ teaspoons lemon extract
- 6 tablespoons lemon curd
- ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries Frozen blueberries should be slightly thawed and drained or patted dry.
- ¼ cup flaked almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C or 170°C for a fan oven).
- Lightly butter a 9 x 13 inch rectangular tart pan with a loose bottom.
- Line the pan with the pastry, making sure it goes up the sides. Prick the pastry with a fork several times and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until it is just beginning to cook without taking on any colour.
- Remove the pastry from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Mix the ground almonds, flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in the lemon rind and lemon extract.
- With the electric mixer on low, add the ground almond and flour mixture spoonful by spoonful. Beat the mixture for a minute or two until smooth.
- To assemble the tart, spread the lemon curd over the bottom of the pastry using a pastry brush and top with the blueberries.
- Dollop the cake mixture in medium size spoonfuls over top of the blueberries and gently spread it to cover them, right up to the edges of the pastry.
- Scatter with the flaked almonds and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (watching carefully so that it doesn’t go too brown). The tart is cooked when the filling bounces back when lightly pressed with your finger.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting in squares to serve.
did you make this recipe?
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More Delicious Summer Dessert Recipes
Raspberry and Rose Jelly and Cream
Comments & Reviews
Wendy Vanderwerff says
Can’t wait to try this! Your recipes are ALWAYS a hit in my house!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Wendy 🙂 That is a wonderful compliment!!
Hadia says
April. let me tell you that I have been introduced to bakewell through your lovely blog. A couple of days back, I threw a party at home and made your delicious bakewell tart(the one with raspberry and jam). The cake received rave reviews. And here is something new on my do list ; your Lemon and Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares look so good.Thank you for sharing your wonderful creations with the world. I so much love and trust your recipes. Have a lovely weekend. Hadia
April Harris says
Oh Hadia, what a lovely compliment! Thank you so much! I’m so glad you and your guests enjoyed the Raspberry Bakewell Tart. If you have any photographs please do share them on my Facebook page. I love it when people make and enjoy my recipes! I hope you enjoy the Lemon and Bakewell Tart Squares just as much 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
swathi says
April, this lemon blueberry bakewell tart looks delicious love to try it
April Harris says
Thank you, Swathi!
Peter says
I am not familiar with Bakewell. I really like a tart and lemon and blueberry are such a natural together. I am sure these are delicious.
April Harris says
Thank you, Peter 🙂 They really are!
Debra @ Bowl Me Over says
The lemon & blueberry are perfect together! These sound so lovely and look fresh and delicious – pinning!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Debra – and thank you for pinning too!
Florian @ContentednessCooking says
Hello Spring! Where are my summer vibes? Yes they are here! 🙂
April Harris says
Thank you, Florian 🙂
Patty Haxton Anderson says
I have to tell you I so enjoyed reading this post! I love to learn the history behind food and you did that for me. The recipes sounds so so good.
April Harris says
I’m really glad you enjoyed it, Patty 🙂 I love learning the history behind food as well. Thank you so much!
Debi at Life Currents says
These look wonderful! Perfect with afternoon coffee!
April Harris says
Thank you, Debi 🙂
Fashion and Style Police says
This would taste so good with a cup of tea x
April Harris says
It really is lovely with a cup of tea 🙂
fashion-mommy says
These look so beautiful, I would love to try this with a dollop of clotted cream.
April Harris says
Thank you! And clotted cream is a wonderful idea 🙂
Richard says
This sounds great April! Do you know if it would be freezable?
April Harris says
Thank you, Richard. I have never frozen it so can’t say for sure, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t freeze well if you cool it completely first. If you aren’t planning on using it all at once, I suggest cutting it in squares before freezing so you can just thaw them individually 🙂
Miz Helen says
I pinned your awesome Lemon Blueberry Bakewell Tart Squares! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday, have a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Miz Helen, and thank you for pinning 🙂 Hope you are having a great weekend too!
The Ninja Baker says
Can’t believe this Anglophile didn’t know about Bakewell Tarts…Lemon curd and blueberries are truly a perfect coupling of flavor. Thank you for the shortcut recipe…I admire those who make everything from scratch…BUT it is rare that I follow suit. So, thank you, April for a do-able British classic =)
April Harris says
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Kim. I’ve departed a little from the original which is almost always raspberry flavoured, but I do love my blueberries 😉 Please let me know what you think if you give the recipe a try! Have a lovely week ahead 🙂
Claire justine says
This looks yummy April, I love blueberries and bakewell tart but never had them together before, yummy! Thanks for sharing at Creative Mondays.
April Harris says
Thank you, Claire! It’s just a little twist I tried that I really like – although I appreciate it’s very non-traditional 😉
Karren Haller says
This looks amazing April, I have pinned to share this yummy dessert.
Thank you for sharing on #omhgff!!
Have a lovely weekend!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Karren, and thank you for pinning and sharing too! I hope you had a lovely weekend as well!
Karren Haller says
Hi April, now your recipe is being featured on #omhgff and featured on Instagram.
Hope you’ll stop by and share again!!
Have a lovely weekend!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Karren! I’ve popped by the party and shared. I hope you are having a lovely weekend too!
judee says
what an interesting tart and just went back and read the Bakewell background. Love the flavors
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Judee!
Marilyn Lesniak says
Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too!
April Harris says
Thank you for pinning and sharing, Marilyn!
Joanne says
These look delicious! They remind me of a breakfast we just had at the B&B we recently stayed in.
April Harris says
Thank you, Joanne!