My Treacle Tart Recipe
I’m not the best pastry cook around however I know a good tart when I see one. This treacle tart is simply one of those perfect recipes you know you can rely on time after time. It’s not incredibly difficult to make, it just requires a bit of quality time.
As with everything else we believe in and in line with our ethos here at the British Larder, we buy and use the best ingredients we can possibly afford and lay our hands on.
Moving to Suffolk was in one way very easy, as we knew that the produce, ingredients and suppliers are second to none. When we were first introduced to Chris Brennan it was like a breath of fresh air swept us off our feet and landed us on the bread wagon made for gods. Pump Street Bakery and its very capable baker Chris is a godsend for us. Ross and I believe that we should buy a product if it’s better than that which we can personally make, and THIS bread is definitely a product which we will never be able to make better.
With Chris’s bread used in our restaurant every day, one acquires rather a lot of leftovers. My solution is to whizz it up into breadcrumbs and then start thinking of a 101 recipes on how to use it all up. I used Chris’s bread in my Christmas puddings and even to this day I’m still convinced that it’s my secret ingredient which makes it the best Christmas pudding I ever baked. I freeze the rest of the crumbs and then when needed, we whip them out to use as and when required.
I have had this treacle tart recipe for years, and it’s been a saviour at many occasions in the past. When the breadcrumb frenzy started I was digging out this good trusty old friend of a recipe, and tadaaa! here it is.
It’s now described by our regular customers as a true delight! Well they are either talking the truth or they are just simply polite… I think it’s perhaps both!?
My top tips:
- I recommend using a long fluted pastry tart case instead of a round one – the reason for this is that the tart cooks more evenly and it’s easier to cut and handle.
- Use fresh bread that is at least one day old, cut the crust off and use the insides only. Do not use dried breadcrumbs.
- Use the best ingredients you can possibly buy, free-range eggs and a good quality bread is highly recommended. I prefer sourdough as it give the tart that extra special taste.
- Be patient: leave the mixture to rest over night, do not over-cook the tart and leave it to cool completely before cutting and eating.
Maddy’s Best Ever Treacle Tart Recipe
- 340g golden syrup
- 100g fresh breadcrumbs
- 60g ground almonds
- 1 whole free range egg
- 125ml double cream
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- Sweet short crust pastry
Whizz the fresh breadcrumbs as finely as possible. I use my Thermomix - rip fresh bread into chunks, let the blades run at speed 10 and drop the torn bread onto the running blades.
In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg and cream together. Gently heat the golden syrup to make it runnier and easier to mix - do not exceed 37°C. Whisk the golden syrup, lemon juice and zest into the egg mixture, and stir in the ground almonds and breadcrumbs.
Let the mixture rest over night in the fridge.
The following day preheat the fan assisted oven to 160°C. (If the oven is too hot the tart will burn easily and stay raw inside)
Line a 10cm x 35cm x 2.5cm fluted oblong tart case with sweet pastry. Leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Whisk the treacle tart mixture and pour into the raw lined pastry case.
Carefully transfer the tart to the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 - 45 minutes. It will still have a gentle wobble in the center but will firm up once cooled.
Leave the tart to cool at room temperature.
Once cold remove the over hanging pastry with a sharp small serrated knife, then remove the tart from the case and cut it into slices. Serve with whipped Chantilly cream, mascarpone or vanilla ice cream.
Makes approximately 6 slices
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Hi Ian,
For the metal tart case as with my measurements you need 300g of pastry.
Happy Cooking
Maddy
Dear Hannah,
Yes the cooked tart it will freeze well for up to three months. Defrost the tart in the fridge overnight.
Happy cooking
Maddy
Maddy,
Will this treacle tart freeze?
Yours in hopeful anticipation!
HS
How much pastry will I need for this size tin ?ie 375g or more.