Pork Pi...wait, is that a Bakewell Tart?!

Why yes, yes it is! Observe, the Pork Pie Bakewell Tart! Has to be seen to be believed. Story follows...

After baking a Bakewell Tart normally last weekend (which for those of you who have never supped upon the delights of a home made; non Mr Kipling bakewell tart looks like so:

I realised that all it really is is a rather tasty cake baked in pastry. Which got me thinking, what else is baked in pastry? Pork Pies of course! So I thought to myself...I wonder...could you bake a tart in a Pork Pie tin, make it LOOK like a Pork Pie...but not actually be a Pork Pie?! Not one for day dreaming I set about living the dream.

I set about following the basic steps to any good Bakewell Tart. Shortcrust pastry lining tin? Check. Bake for 15 minutes with ceramic baking beans? Check. Remove beans, brush with egg and bake for a further 5 minutes? Check. Bakewell Tart recipe made, I lined the inside of the pastry with Raspberry jam then filled up the case 2/3 with the mixture. Now, in my brain, I thought I could bake the case and the lid to the pie separately, then simply pop the lid of the pie on after the cake had baked and no one would be any the wiser! So, I did this. And I was not pleased.

As you can see, the tart cooks wonderfully in the pastry as expected, but as the lid was baked separately it doesn't fit on my tart! Only a maniac wouldn't suppose this wasn't actually a Bakewell tart in disguise...

So, I called up my ye old Pork Pie recipe and lo and behold the filling is cooked with the lid on top, so i figured, why not cook my cake with a lid?!

SO, Pork Pie Bakewell Tart take 2 was everything that occurred with the first, but upon the mixture being in the case I then brushed the top with egg, covered it with some spare pastry, trimmed it to size, stabbed 2 holes in the middle and baked away!

I think the holes are important in the top as, like mine, the mixture burst through the holes and a mini tart started to cook on top. Without my little holes the pastry would have broken and I would have been most upset. However, you need not suffer my pain, as if you fill the case only HALF full with mixture, it shouldn't erupt through the top! Brilliant.

So there you have it folks! A Pork Pie with a Bakewell Tart lurking inside. They said it couldn't be done, but I said...well, it can actually. Perfect if you've got a Farmer Friend. Enjoy :D