I had a request on Youtube to do a video of making Treacle Tart. So, although I already have a blog entry for this wonderful British dessert I decided to make it and post again, this time with a video as well.
Treacle Tart is a British favourite, and is ideal with some nice, creamy custard. It will go just as well with cream or ice-cream, so whichever takes one’s fancy it just fine. When I was at school it was served with custard.
Although called treacle tart the main ingredient is actually golden syrup. Those who cant find golden syrup can easily make it themselves, or they can substitute corn syrup instead. The major difference between the two is that golden syrup is made with slices of lemon used to infuse during making. The lemons are then discarded. So for this recipe, which already uses the zest of a lemon corn syrup will work just fine.
The base is a shortcrust pastry, and the scraps can be used to put a lattice type top to the tart, if required.
You can use shop bought pastry, though I prefer to make my own. I love the smell of pastry cooking and the added sweet aroma of the golden syrup really makes me want to taste it as soon as possible. There is also a nice hint of lemon, from the zest, as it cooks.
I messed up in making the video, as I forgot to press the record button when I was making the filling So, having baked one tart, I set about making a second one, so that I could film making the filling since that is the most important part of the tart.
I was very happy with both tarts, they taste exactly as they should, the sweet soft treacle filling matched by a lovely shortcrust pastry.
Ingredients:
For the pastry:
- 275g plain flour
- 30g caster sugar
- 140g cold unsalted butter, diced
- 3-4 tbsp water
- 350g golden syrup
- 150g fresh white or brown breadcrumbs(or a mixture of both is fine)
- 50g unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tbsp double cream
- 1 large egg
- Pinch of salt
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- Make the pastry by mixing the flour and caster sugar together, preferably in a food processor.
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add just enough water to bring the pastry together.
- Remove from the processor and gently squeeze into a ball.
- Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/400F/gas mark 6.
- Place a heavy baking tray in the oven.
- Grease a 23cm round flan tin or cake tin.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge, cutting one third of it and place that back in the fridge, wrapped in cling film.
- Roll out the remaining two thirds of the pastry to 4mm thick. Line the flan tin with the rolled out pastry. Add the offcuts to add to the other one third of the pastry for the lattice.
- Prick the base with a fork. Cover with clingfilm again and place back in the fridge for about 30 minutes, as you make the filling.
- Warm the golden syrup slightly to make it easier to mix with the other ingredients.
- Melt the butter and stir into the golden syrup.
- Beat the cream and egg together and add in the lemon zest and salt.
- Mix the golden syrup and cream mixtures together and stir in the breadcrumbs.
- Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into about 16 strips. You can make a nice lattice, threading the strips over and under each other, but I don’t bother, as I will explain.
- Remove the flan tin from the fridge and pour the mixture into it.
- Slightly wet the edge of the pastry around the flan tin.
- Take 8 strips of rolled out pastry and lay them all in the same direction across the flan, leaving a nice gap between each.
- Lay the other 8 strips across the flan, making a criss-cross effect.
- Press the edges down against the dampened edge of the pastry case.
- Trim off any excess.
- Place the tart in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 180c/160C Fan/350F/Gas mark 4 and bake for a further 20 minutes, or slightly longer if the pastry isn’t nice and golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin. Then you can turn it out and serve it, with custard, cream or ice cream.
hi Mathilda. Thanks very much I am glad you enjoyed the parkin. I hope you like this tart too when you make it.
Dear Geoff, I absolutely love watching your videos and I made parkin the other day which was a success..I'll be making the treacle tart soon too.