Treacle apple tart

Make this tart if you want something sweet, but not overly so – the addition of lemon zest and juice helps balance out the syrup.

SERVES 10-12 PREP 30 mins plus chilling and cooling

COOK 1 hr 30 mins EASY V 375g sweet shortcrust pastry flour, for dusting

600g golden syrup, plus extra for brushing and drizzling 225g fresh white breadcrumbs 2 lemons, zested and juiced 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 5 small eating apples custard, vanilla ice cream or clotted cream, to serve

1 Roll the pastry out on a lightly dusted surface until big enough to line a 23cm fluted tart tin, about 3cm deep. Line the tin with the pastry, cover and chill for 30 mins.

2 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Scrunch up a big sheet of baking parchment and use it to line the pastry case, then fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 20 mins, then remove the beans and baking parchment and bake for 10-12 mins more until the pastry is golden and biscuity.

3 Meanwhile, put the golden syrup, breadcrumbs, all of the lemon zest, half the juice, and the eggs in a large bowl. Peel two of the apples, then coarsely grate into the bowl. Mix everything together.

4 Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Core and thinly slice the remaining apples into rings. Toss the apple slices with the remaining lemon juice. Tip the breadcrumb mixture into the pastry case and arrange the apple slices on top in an overlapping ring. Brush 1-2 tbsp golden syrup over the apple slices, then return the tart to the oven and bake for 55 mins-1 hr, or until the exposed filling feels set to the touch.

5 Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin, then carefully remove and drizzle with a little more syrup. Serve warm with custard, ice cream or clotted cream, if you like.

PER SERVING (12) 403 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 3g • carbs 70g • sugars 42g • fibre 2g • protein 6g • salt 1.1g