Treacle tart with a salted honey crust
1 HOUR 15 MINUTES + FREEZING + COOLING | SERVES 10
A LITTLE EFFORT Comforting and homely, not much beats a traditional treacle tart. Except, perhaps, one with a salted honey crust...
plain flour 275g
sea salt flakes Ω tsp, plus extra for sprinkling on the pastry
unsalted butter 150g, chilled egg 1 runny honey 50g, plus 50g of melted
clotted cream to serve TREACLE FILLING
golden syrup 400g
black treacle 1 tbsp wholemeal breadcrumbs 180g orange 1, zested to make 2 tsp eggs 2 large, beaten double cream 3 tbsp
• To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Roughly chop or coarsely grate the cold butter into the mixture, then rub in with your fingertips (or whizz in a food processor) until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Beat together the egg and 50g of honey. Add to the dry ingredients a little at a time, stirring with a knife until combined (or pulse in a food processor). • Bring together the dough with your hands and form into a disc, then wrap and chill for 2 hours. Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper until big enough to line a 23cm tart tin. Use the rolling pin to gently drape the pastry into the tin, leaving any overhang, then put into the freezer for at least 2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and put a baking tray in the oven to heat up. Put the frozen tart case on the tray and blind bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden (there’s no need to add baking beans if the pastry has been frozen).
• Brush the bottom of the tart case with the melted honey and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Bake for a further 10 minutes, then cool completely. Trim the overhanging pastry with a serrated knife.
• Turn down the oven to 180C/fan 160C/ gas 4. To make the filling, put the golden syrup and treacle into a pan, and warm over a gentle heat. Add the breadcrumbs and orange zest, and stir to combine, followed by the beaten eggs and double cream. Scrape the mixture into the cooled tart case and spread to level out.
• Carefully put the tart onto a baking tray, to catch any leaks and spills, and bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until just set in the middle. Leave to cool and set for at least 30 minutes before serving warm with a dollop of clotted cream.
PER SERVING 481 KCALS | FAT 19.6G SATURATES 11.5G | CARBS 67.4G | SUGARS 39.5G FIBRE 2.4G | PROTEIN 7.3G | SALT 1G