This one is a proper twist on a pretty iconic baked good. My Hercules Greek Vase Bakewell slice brings together traditional Greek flavours with a classic British treat. A sweet and tangy honey and lemon curd sandwiched between delicious almond sponges. Zero to Hero? Nah, hero from the get go.

Note: this recipe was updated on 04/07/2024.

Contents

• The Bake
• Top Tips
• The Recipe
• The Film
• Recipe Card

The Bake

A fun film deserves a fun bake. I decided to mix cultural elements in a similar way that Hercules did: traditional greek flavours with a traditionally English baked good. Almond, lemon and honey are all used a lot in Greek dishes. Having chosen almond as the base of this bake, I went straight to the idea of a Bakewell slice. 

Traditionally, a Bakewell tart will include a layer of raspberry jam below the almond sponge, all neatly encased in a shortcrust pastry.

A Bakewell tart is a type of Bakewell pudding, which was given its name as a result of its connections to the town of Bakewell, Derbyshire in England. Those who are loyal to the original Bakewell recipe will say it’s cherry flavour or it’s not a Bakewell.

As this Bakewell slice tray bake incorporates different flavours to the original Bakewell slice/tart, I’m not even sure whether I can call it a Bakewell slice… but we’re rolling with it. 

Instead of jam, I made a lemon and honey curd and sandwiched it between two layers of the almond sponge. No pastry. No jam. Just a buttery shortbread base, a layer of delicious curd and a layer of frangipane. Delicious.

When it came to the look of this bake, I really wanted to celebrate the way Greek stories were captured in the form of pottery.

When you see pots and vases from Ancient Greece, you can see the scenes and events that are depicted on them. It’s a very cool way of recording history. 

I used a few drops of extra strong orange food colouring in the almond sponges in order to achieve that terracotta look. Piping on something like a Bakewell tray bake is much easier than trying to paint on it as the surface texture is so flakey.

I’m not remotely on the same level as the artists that painted these pots and vases in Ancient Greek times so I opted for a much simpler (yet, still effective) method.

I used royal icing for the piping as lots of Bakewells in all their glorious forms are topped with icing when made.

I also opted for a much simpler design than a full on painting of Hercules or an intricate scene involving him.

Piping Hercules’s medallion meant that I could tie the design right to the film and also have an impact with the overall look of the bake. The medallion is the one his father, Zeus, gives him as a baby and sports a set of clouds with a lightning bolt.

The rest of the design includes some of the traditional patterns you see throughout Ancient Greek artifacts. Well, an attempt at one of the patterns. Perfection isn’t key here. Just fun and celebration, friends.

The lemon and honey curd is a recipe by Cookie & Kate: I simply adjusted the measurements based on my own preferences and what I thought would work best with the flavours of the almond sponges.

Top Tips

• Avoid baking the shortbread for longer than the time stated: shortbread tends to harden as it cools.
• Carve pieces of your Bakewell slice away a little at a time as the sponges are so soft. You could risk breaking off too much otherwise. Use a sharp knife for this!
• Be generous with your curd filling. It really is delicious.
• Using a cocktail stick to ‘edit’ your designs after piping will really help neaten it up.

This (sort of?) Bakewell slice tray bake is absolutely delicious and something for all of the family to enjoy. It’s quirky but it works and I hope you love it. It makes a fun and different kind of sweet treat that is perfect for a Hercules movie night or themed party. Enjoy!

Happy baking, happy eating!

**Note: I updated this recipe on 4th July 2024. All pictures were updated and I changed the recipe from two almond frangipane sponges sandwiched together to a Bakewell slice with a shortbread base, curd and frangipane top layer. The updated recipe offers a more accurate recreation of a Bakewell slice whilst still hitting the brief with flavours and design.

The Recipe

Ingredients

Lemon & honey curd:

• 60g [2 oz] unsalted butter cubed
• 100ml [4.75 oz] runny honey
• 4 egg yolks from large eggs
• 2 large eggs
• Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
• 60ml [2.1 oz] fresh lemon juice (from around 3 good sized lemons)

Shortbread:

• 150g [5.25 oz] unsalted butter room temperature
• 75g [¼ cup + 2 tbsp] caster sugar
• 225g [1¼ cups + 2 tbsp] plain [all-purpose] flour

Bakewell slice frangipane:

• 200g [7 oz] unsalted butter
• 200g [1 cups] caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 200g [2 cups + 2 tbsp] ground almonds
• 2 tsp almond extract
• Strong orange food colouring oil based

Decoration:

• 75g [½ cup] royal icing sugar
• ½ tbsp water
• Black food colouring

Serves: 8+

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Baking time: 50 minutes

Decorating time: 15 minutes

Method

Curd:

1. Make the curd first so it has time to set. Prepare a shallow dish for your curd to cool in and set aside.
2. Begin by creaming the butter and honey together in a bowl until fluffy. Do this using a hand mixer or standing mixer.
3. Continue to beat the mixture on a medium speed, adding the egg yolks one at a time until fully incorporated. Follow with the eggs, one at a time.
4. Add the zest and the lemon juice and beat again. If it looks curdled at this point, don’t fret. This is normal.
5. Pour your mixture into a medium-sized metal saucepan. Cook it over a low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Make sure to keep stirring while the cooking process is carried out. This can take 10 or so minutes.
6. When the mixture starts to look smooth and shiny, increase the heat to medium. Keep cooking until your mixture has thickened and you feel resistance as you stir. It won’t look fully thickened yet – this will happen as it cools.
7. When the mixture is trying to boil, keep it over the heat and keep stirring for a few seconds and then remove it from the heat. 
8. Pour your curd into the shallow dish you prepared earlier and leave to cool. It will thicken quite quickly during this process.

Shortbread:

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C [375°F] or 180°C fan. Line a 9 x 9 inch square tin with baking parchment/greaseproof paper. A good tip to help the paper sit in the tin is to cut from each corner in towards the centre. Cut once or twice inwards from each corner. This should help the paper to sit in the tin without popping back out.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
3. Sieve in the flour and mix in until a dough has formed.
4. Press the dough evenly into the base of your tin. Be sure to get right into the corners!
5. Bake the dough for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown. Once baked, leave in the tin to cool a little while you make your frangipane. Keep your oven on at the same temperature as you will need it again.

Frangipane:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
3. Add the almond extract and ground almonds and beat again just until combined.
4. Beat in the orange food colouring and adjust accordingly. It will likely darken during the baking process.
5. Spoon a generous layer of your lemon and honey curd over the surface of your shortbread base.
6. Spoon the frangipane mixture over the curd, using a palette or cutlery knife to smooth it over. Bake at 190°C [375°F] or 180°C fan for 30 – 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.

Decoration:

1. Once completely cool, carefully lift your Bakewell slice from the tin and peel the baking parchment/greaseproof paper from the bottom of it. Place the Bakewell slice on a chopping board.
2. Using a sharp or serrated knife, begin carving out your vase shape. If it’s easier, start by carving away the four corners and then bit by bit, carve off pieces until you achieve the shape of the vase you desire. You shouldn’t be left with loads of Bakewell.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the royal icing sugar, water and black food colouring. It will be thick but this makes it easier to pipe.
4. Spoon the icing into a piping bag either with a pinpoint nozzle or very small hole you cut off at the end. The smaller the hole or nozzle, the thinner the pattern/design will be as you pipe.
5. Pipe on your chosen design – using a cocktail stick to neaten it up if needed. Carefully slide your Bakewell slice onto a plate/cake board/cake stand to serve.

This wonderful ‘Bakewell’ slice will last for at least 4 days in an airtight container. If you have any curd left over, this will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week but will freeze for up to 2 months. You can use it straight from the freezer as it doesn’t freeze solidly. Enjoy!

The Film

Disney’s Hercules is a true childhood favourite of mine. The film was released the same year I was born: 1997. I watched it the second I was old enough to understand it and have loved it since.

Since the days of VHS, at least. Any VHS kids here? Now that was an era. 

Let me tell you, I ran that VHS to the point that it no longer worked. Just like I did with my copy of Lilo & Stitch.

Hercules (1997) is Disney’s adaptation of the story of Hercules (also references as Heracles) from Greek mythology.

His beginning as a godly child born to Zeus and Hera; the turn of events as Hades tries to be rid of him due to the pending threat of Hercules prevailing over Hades’s plan to release the titans.

The film then focuses on Hercules’s youth as a demigod and his journey to becoming a true hero in order to return to Olympus as a god.

Written by Ron Clements and John Musker both of whom also directed alongside Don McEnery, Hercules boasts a real cast of talent. This includes the likes of Tate Donovan; Susan Egan, Rip Torn, James Woods, Samantha Eggar and Danny DeVito to name a few.

This film just has pure charm.

It’s funny and endearing and this version of Hercules is such a likeable character. Emphasis on this version… not all depictions are as favourable.

The thing with Greek mythology is… it tends to change depending on what you read or who you ask. There are adaptations after adaptations of the various stories but usually, the core details remain the same. With that being said, Greek mythology has always been a point of real interest and passion for me.

It’s something I always find my way back to. The fascination is never-ending.

Match Greek mythology with great animation and Gospel-style music and you have a winner in my eyes. Whoever came up with that combination just gets it. For me, Disney’s Hercules is a top-tier film of the classic Disney era. It has the most iconic soundtrack. Need I say more?

Recipe Card