With Halloween and all it’s tricks and treats this week, it got me thinking what a trick treacle tart is, as it is traditionally made with syrup not treacle. So to address this I have developed the following tart with a nod to the rightfully owner of it’s name. I love the mirrored illusion of the extra pastry lattice in the picture above as that tricks you to thinking some of the pastry is missing – a belated Happy Halloween to all.

My Treacle enjoying Trick or Treat!!

Ingredients

Pastry:

250g plain flour

125g butter, cubed

2.5ml (1/2 tsp) salt

5ml (1 tsp) mixed spice

60ml (4 Tbsp) cold water

 

Filling

400g syrup

50g treacle

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

175g fresh breadcrumbs

 

1 egg, beaten

 

Method

1. Prepare the pastry either by using a food processor or by hand. First place the flour, salt and mixed spice in a bowl. Add the butter and rub or process to produce a ‘breadcrumb’ texture.
2. Add the cold water and mix to form a soft but not sticky pastry. Chilli for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out the pastry to approximately 4mm in depth. Use this to line a 9-inch fluted tart tin. Trim the excess pastry and cut into strips with a fluted pastry wheel if you have one, if not use a pizza wheel or just a sharp knife. Lay these pastry strips on a piece of foil and chill. Prick the base the pastry tart and also chill until needed.
4. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200°C and preheat a baking tray.
5. Prepare the filling by gently warming the syrup and treacle in a medium saucepan together with the lemon zest and juice. Just before boiling remove from the heat and stir in the fresh breadcrumbs.
6. Remove the pastry case and strips from the fridge and brush both with the beaten egg, including the pastry rim. This helps prevent the base from becoming soggy and gives the pastry strips and rim of the tart a golden glaze once baked.
7. Spoon and evenly spread the filling into the pastry case and then gently weave the pastry strips of the top of the filling to form a criss-cross pattern. Trim the excess pastry strips and secure to the rim using the beaten egg.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200°C then reduce to 180°C and continue to bake for a further 20-25 minutes.
9. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before serving as it needs to firm and due to the high sugar content, it can easily burn your mouth.

10. Delicious served with clotted cream infused with orange zest.