Treacle Tart

Before you start

Despite its name, a treacle tart uses golden syrup, the light, buttery cane syrup sold in British shops, not dark black treacle. The syrup is thickened with fresh white breadcrumbs, sharpened with lemon zest and juice, and baked in a crisp shortcrust case. A beaten egg and a spoonful of cream make the filling set into a soft, sliceable layer rather than a sticky puddle.

The ratio of crumbs to syrup sets the texture. Too few crumbs and the tart runs when cut; too many and it bakes dry and cakey. Use bread a day or two old, crusts removed, blitzed into soft crumbs; dried packaged breadcrumbs absorb too much. Serve it warm, not hot, with clotted cream, custard or vanilla ice cream to balance the sweetness.

Ingredients

• Shortcrust200 g (1⅔ cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter — cold, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 to 3 tbsp ice water
• Filling450 g (1⅓ cups) golden syrup
• 120 g (about 2 cups loosely packed) fresh white breadcrumbs — from 4 to 5 slices day-old bread, crusts off
• 1 lemon, zest and 2 tbsp juice
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• ¼ tsp ground ginger — optional
• pinch fine salt

Method

1. Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt with your fingertips until it looks like fine crumbs. Mix the yolk with 2 tablespoons of water, stir it in with a knife and add more water a teaspoon at a time until the dough holds together. Flatten, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Roll the dough to 3 mm (⅛ in) thick, line the tin and leave a little overhang. Prick the base and chill for 30 minutes. Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat it to 190°C (375°F).
3. Line the shell with parchment and weights and bake on the hot sheet for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake 5 minutes more, until the base looks dry. Trim the overhang with a sharp knife. Reduce the oven to 180°C (350°F).
4. Warm the golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat just until it pours easily, about 2 minutes; it should be warm, not hot. Stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice, ginger and salt, and leave for 5 minutes so the crumbs absorb the syrup.
5. Whisk the egg and cream together and stir them into the syrup mixture until no streaks remain. Pour it into the shell and level it.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is golden, slightly puffed at the edges and only just wobbles in the center. It firms as it cools.
7. Cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for success

• Grease the measuring cup or set the saucepan on the scale and pour the syrup straight in; it is much easier to weigh than to measure by volume.
• Do not let the syrup boil. Hot syrup scrambles the egg and makes the finished filling chewy.
• For a traditional look, roll the pastry trimmings into thin strips and lay a loose lattice over the filling before baking.

Substitutions

Golden syrup

Light corn syrup works but tastes much plainer; add 1 tbsp molasses or brown sugar for depth. Do not use pure black treacle, which is bitter in this quantity.

White breadcrumbs

Brioche crumbs give a richer, softer filling. Whole wheat crumbs work but make it denser and darker.

Heavy cream

Leave it out and add a second egg yolk instead. The set is slightly firmer and less silky.

Variations

Ginger treacle tart

Add 2 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger and increase the ground ginger to ½ tsp.

Orange version

Replace the lemon with the zest of 1 orange and 1 tbsp orange juice plus 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Troubleshooting

The filling is runny when sliced

Too few crumbs, or it was cut while hot. Weigh the crumbs, bake until only the very center wobbles and wait at least 30 minutes before cutting.

The filling is hard and toffee-like

It overbaked or the syrup boiled first. Take the tart out while the center moves slightly and only warm the syrup.

The edges of the pastry burned

Shield the rim with a ring of foil for the last 15 minutes, and check that your oven is not running hot.

Storage

Cover and keep at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Rewarm slices in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 10 minutes to soften the filling and refresh the crust. The baked tart freezes, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.

Safety notes

Do not taste the raw dough. Contains wheat, egg and milk. The syrup filling stays very hot for a long time after baking; let it cool before serving to children.