Border Tart
A crisp shortcrust pastry tart packed with spiced currants and candied peel, finished with a smooth, glossy layer of white icing.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 345 kcal
Equipment
- •20cm loose-bottomed tart tin
- •Rolling pin
- •Mixing bowl
- •Wire cooling rack
- •Palette knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 345 kcal
- fat
- 13 g
- carbs
- 56 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 4 g
- calories
- 345 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rub the cold diced butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- 2
Stir in the cold water to bring the dough together into a firm ball.
- 3
Wrap the dough and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- 4
Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to line a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
- 5
Prick the base with a fork and chill the lined tin for 10 minutes.
- 6
Mix the currants, candied peel, brown sugar, melted butter, beaten egg, mixed spice, and lemon zest together.
- 7
Spread the fruit mixture evenly into the unbaked pastry case.
- 8
Bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry is pale golden.
- 9
Leave the tart to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack.
- 10
Stir the icing sugar with warm water to form a smooth, spreadable paste.
- 11
Spread the icing evenly over the cooled fruit filling and leave to set firmly before slicing.
Chef's tips
Allow the tart to cool completely before icing, otherwise the glaze will melt and soak into the fruit. Roll the pastry thinly to maintain the classic shallow tart proportion typical of Borders bakers. If the icing seems too stiff, add water in drops to reach a smooth coating consistency.
Ingredient substitutions
- currants → sultanas or raisins, finely chopped
- mixed spice → ground cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg and allspice
Storage
Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Serve at room temperature; do not reheat as the delicate icing topping will melt.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Applying the icing while the tart is still warm, making it transparent and runny.
- •Overbaking the tart, which causes the currants to scorch and turn bitter.
- •Rolling the pastry too thick, overpowering the delicate fruit filling.
Serving suggestions
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