Classic treacle tart

Classic treacle tart. Photograph: Harry Weir
Classic treacle tart. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 8
Course: Dessert
Cooking Time: 0 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

  • FOR THE PASTRY
  • 200g plain flour
  • 100g cold butter, diced small
  • 50g icing sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1tsp cold water, if needed
  • FOR THE FILLING
  • 400g golden syrup
  • 60g butter, cubed
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice of
  • 60g cream
  • 2 eggs, lightly whisked
  • 150g panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
  • TO SERVE
  • Ice cream
  • Thick yogurt or whipped cream

1. Grease a 20cm oven-proof pie dish (or loose-bottom tart tin). Preheat oven to 180 degrees (fan).

2. To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a bowl. Add the diced butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in icing sugar. With a dinner knife, work in the egg yolk, then bring together to a firm dough (add a little water if it appears very dry to help the mixture come together). Shape into a flat disc. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes.

3. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface and use to line the oven-proof dish. To bake the pastry blind, line with parchment paper and fill with baking beans (or uncooked rice or lentils). Place in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until light golden in colour. Remove the beans and paper and set aside.

4. Once the pastry is baked blind, reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees (fan).

5. To make the filling, use a medium-sized saucepan to gently melt the golden syrup and butter together (keep the heat low). When the butter has melted, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, cream and eggs. Gently stir in the breadcrumbs, without over mixing. Spoon the wet mixture into the baked tart shell. Bake first for 20 minutes at 160 degrees (fan), then reduce the oven temperature to 140 degrees (fan), continue baking the tart for 25 minutes more until the filling is just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Serve with thick yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream.