Party Food: Cherry bakewells

Cherry bakewells are my favourite and my gran always used to buy boxes of them for me and my family to enjoy with (or without) a cup of tea. I must admit, this mini version of our much loved cherry bakewells have become a bit of a trademark for me since I thought them up a couple of years ago. They appeared at both my parent's 30th wedding anniversary and my brother's wedding.



The trick to these is a mini muffin pan with a wooden utensil that pushes a ball of pastry into the shape of the pan. It takes the hassle out of rolling and cutting tiny cases for your treats. I don't have one of my own so I steal my mum's when she's not looking. She doesn't mind! I think they're pretty high up on my kitchen wish list as they make turning out a tray of bite size appetisers a breeze.

So, use your favourite shortcrust pastry and fill each cup with a perfectly pressed tart case. Fill these with a small spoon of berry jam and top with a simple frangipane. These then bake in a moderate oven for around 10-12 minutes and, when cooled, should be covered with glacé icing (icing sugar with a tiny bit of water to form a smooth paste) and topped with half a glacé cherry. These are simple, delicious and sure to impress.