Almond Slice
Almond Slice is a classic British tray bake made with a rich shortcrust pastry base, a generous layer of sweet raspberry jam, topped with a soft almond sponge and finished with flaked almonds. Similar to a Bakewell tart, it’s perfect for afternoon tea, bake sales, or a wee treat with your cuppa.
A sure sign that a recipe is a winner is when half of it is gone before I even manage to take photos! I knew the kids would like this homemade Almond Slice, given their love for Mr Kipling Bakewell Slices, but I hadn’t anticipated making two batches within a few days.
If I’m being completely honest, I’m not too big a fan of almonds in baking. I can happily munch through an entire bag of whole almonds, but when it comes to baking with them, I just get reminded of marzipan – which is something I am most definitely not a fan of! I’m not entirely sure what it is about marzipan, but I just can’t seem to grow any degree of fondness for it.
That being said, even I could appreciate the simplicity of these lovely little slices. Of course, my favourite part is the pastry base; a sweet shortcrust, smothered in raspberry jam. But then you have the cake-like top; an almond sponge, slightly denser than what you would want on its own, but paired with the jam and pastry, it has the perfect amount of bounce and bite. Finished with some crispy flaked almonds, which catch just a little bit of colour and extra flavour as they bake.
This perfect tea-time treat – also often called a Bakewell Slice tray bake – is much easier to make than what you’d expect when looking at the end result. Trust me when I say they are a deceivingly easy bake, especially when you break each layer down into stages and tackle them one at a time.
Secret to the Perfect Pastry Base:
Use Block Margarine or Butter for the Pastry
For the pastry base, I recommend using block margarine (not a soft, spreadable one) or butter – and either must be cold. Soft spreads from a tub contain more water, which can make the pastry harder to work with and affect the finished texture.
Don’t Skip the Blind Baking
Because this Almond Slice has a layer of jam and a fairly substantial almond sponge topping, blind-baking the pastry first helps keep the base crisp and prevent the dreaded soggy bottoms.
To blind bake, line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans, dried rice or dried pulses. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and beans and return the pastry to the oven for another 5 minutes until the surface looks dry and lightly golden.
Press the Pastry Up the Sides
When lining your tin, press the pastry slightly up the sides rather than leaving it completely flat. This helps keep the jam and sponge neatly contained as the slice bakes and gives you perfect bakery-style layers when cut.
Use the Right Tin
I use a 20x20cm (8-inch) square tray bake tin for this recipe. Using a significantly larger or smaller tin will affect the thickness of the pastry and sponge layers, as well as the baking time.
Tips for perfect Almond Slices:
- Don’t Skip the Blind Baking. With a layer of jam and almond sponge on top, blind baking the pastry first helps keep the base crisp and prevents a soggy bottom.
- Use a Good Layer of Raspberry Jam. It might be tempting to go easy on the jam, but it’s what gives Almond Slice its classic flavour and helps separate the pastry and sponge layers. And if you want to make your Almond Slice extra special, why not throw on a handful of fresh raspberries as well?
- Spread the Sponge Gently. The almond sponge mixture can be quite thick. I find it easiest to add small spoonfuls of the batter over the jam before carefully spreading them together with a spatula.
- Check the Centre for Readiness: The almond sponge should be golden on top and spring back lightly when touched in the centre. If it still feels very soft in the middle, give it a few more minutes to bake.
- Allow to Cool Before Slicing. The jam layer stays quite soft while warm, and the pastry can be brittle post-bake too, so let the Almond Slice cool fully, and it will give you much neater slices.
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Almond Slice
INGREDIENTS
For the Pastry Base
- 225 g Plain Flour (All-purpose Flour)
- 100 g Block Margarine or Butter (cold, cubed)
- 30 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 2-3 tbsp Cold Water
For the Sponge
- 200 g Seedless Raspberry Jam (Seedless Raspberry Jelly)
- 100 g Soft Margarine (or Butter) (at room temperature)
- 100 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 100 g Ground Almonds
- 100 g Self-raising Flour
- 2 Free-range Eggs
- Handful of Flaked Almonds
EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Pastry
- Preheat your oven to 190°c (or 170° for a fan-assisted oven, Gas Mark 5 or 375°F). Line a 20cmx20cm (8-inch) baking tin with greaseproof paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, rub the flour and margarine/butter together with your fingers until it resembles bread crumbs. Stir through the sugar before adding the water a tablespoon at a time – you might not need it all. Mix until combined into a soft pastry. You may need to use your hands!
- Roll the pastry to roughly the size of your pre-lined tin. Transfer the pastry to your tin, pressing into the edges and up the sides. Trim any overhanging pastry and prick the pastry all over with a fork. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper before filling with baking beans.
- Blind bake the pastry for 10-15 minutes to give the base a head start and avoid a soggy bottom. Following the blind bake, remove the baking beans and top the pastry with the raspberry jam, evenly spreading over the pastry. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
For the Almond Slice
- In a large bowl, cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the ground almonds and self-raising flour, mixing together before adding the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix until you have a somewhat smooth batter.
- Spoon the batter on top of your jam-topped pastry and spread evenly, ensuring to get right to the edges and corners. Top with a generous handful of flaked almonds.
- Bake in your pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and spongy in appearance. Allow to cool in the tin.
- Once completely cool, using a sharp knife, cut into individual slices.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
NOTES
Egg Size:
When it comes to eggs, I always buy the Mixed-weight Free-range Eggs. Generally speaking, egg size doesn’t make a huge difference in most baking, unless you are using sizes that lean into the extremes. But with that in mind, medium-sized eggs are probably the best option if you are unsure what size eggs to use.Storage:
Store your Almond Slice in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep for up to 4–5 days, although the texture – particularly of the pastry – may change slightly.Freezing:
Almond Slices freeze well. Wrap individual slices in baking paper and pop them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Defrost at room temperature before serving.Substitutions:
- Jam: Raspberry jam is the traditional choice, but strawberry or blackcurrant jam can be used instead. But I would stick to using a seedless jam for the best texture.
- Margarine/Butter: For the pastry, use block margarine or butter rather than a soft spread from a tub. The latter will make your pastry too soft and hard to handle. For the almond sponge, I prefer using a soft margarine for predictability, but you can use butter if you prefer, just make sure it is softened.
- Shop-bought Pastry: You can use a shop-bought pastry for the base of your Almond Slice, but I would always recommend making your own if you have time for the best-tasting results.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @bakingwithgranny or use the hashtag #bakingwithgranny!Frequently Asked Questions:
Almond Slice is a traditional tray bake made with a shortcrust pastry base, a layer of raspberry jam, and a soft almond sponge topping. In some bakeries and regions, it is also known as Bakewell Slice.
Many people use the names Almond Slice and Bakewell Slice interchangeably. Both are made with pastry, jam and an almond-flavoured sponge, although recipes can vary slightly between bakeries and regions.
You can. If you are short on time, a pre-rolled sheet of ready-made shortcrust pastry works well. However, I would always recommend making your own pastry if you can, as this will give you the best flavour and texture.
Blind baking helps the pastry cook before the jam and sponge are added. This prevents the base from becoming soggy and helps it stay crisp once baked.
That’s completely normal. The almond sponge is much thicker than a standard cake batter. Spoon it over the jam in small dollops and gently spread it into an even layer.
Yes. In fact, many people find it tastes even better the next day once the flavours have had time to develop. Simply store it in an airtight container until needed.
Free-from & Vegan:
Gluten-free Options:
For ease, you could use a ready-roll gluten-free shortcrust pastry. Alternatively, you can swap out the plain flour in the pastry for a gluten-free flour blend. These can sometimes be a little drier, however, so you may need to add a little water to your pastry dough mix.
Nut-free Adjustments:
Unfortunately, this isn’t a recipe I would recommend adapting to be nut-free. Ground almonds are a key ingredient in the sponge and contribute significantly to both the flavour and texture of the finished bake.
Dairy-free Swaps:
Swap the butter/margarine for a dairy-free block alternative (avoid spreadable types, as they’re too soft for the pastry).
Allergy Disclaimer & Resources:
Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely suggestions. Please double-check all packaged ingredients individually, taking extra caution when baking for those with allergies or intolerances.
For official guidance on food allergies, please see Food Standards Agency (food.gov.uk) | For more info on coeliac disease, please see Coeliac UK (coeliac.org.uk) | For more info on a vegan diet, please see The Vegan Society (vegansociety.com)
Recipe originally published May 2017. Updated and republished in February 2022.
Hi i notice it says add the egg to the pastry I take it this is a mistake and you mean water ?
Ah, thank you Nancy! I have edited the recipe now.
Very good recipe extremely tasty slice easy instructions to follow turned out great thank you
Tried this recipe on Saturday. Delicious. Nice moist sponge.
Delicious! And the slices didn’t last long. Scrumptious with warm custard and a generous dollop of clotted cream.
I make a rhubarb, custard and crumble cake often and adapted it for this recipe to make a rhubarb and custard slice. Waiting for it to cool and taste test
Do you take the pastry up the sides or just put it in the bottom of the tin