Here are some of the Bakewell puddings and tarts found in the shops in Bakewell

There are many stories of how Bakewell became famous for its puddings and tarts, these stories have been well documented over the years, but may I pose a few questions?

• Did the Bakewell Pudding originate through a mistake by the cook at the Rutland Arms. A Strawberry tart was ordered for a guest. Instead of stirring the egg mixture into the pastry, the cook poured it over the strawberry jam?
• A Bakewell tart was invented by an inexperience cook who misunderstood instructions from Mrs Greaves. She was told to mix an egg mixture with a secret ingredient into a pastry case and spread strawberry jam on top but poured the egg mixture onto the jam instead, therefore making a tart, not a pudding?
• How can two shops in town claim to have the original recipe?
• Who has the original recipe?
• What is the secret ingredient?
• Bakewell pudding recipes appeared in early cook books written by Mrs Beeton and Eliza Acton in 1845, why do we see dates of 1865 and 1889 regarding the Bakewell pudding?
• What is the difference between a Bakewell pudding and Bakewell tart?
• What is the original, a pudding or a tart?
• As a recipe for the Bakewell pudding dated 1837 is discovered, does this throw all the above into disarray? Click here for further details.

Many many questions but there is only one thing to be sure, a true Bakewell pudding can only be found in the town of Bakewell, so come along and visit us and found out the truth about the pudding. From the people that know !