VegetarianSouth East English cuisine Desserts

Gypsy Tart

Name: Gypsy Tart
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: South East English
Ingredients: 200 g Plain flour; 100 g Unsalted butter; 25 g icing sugar; 1 g Fine sea salt; 3 tbsp cold water; 410 g Evaporated milk; 300 g dark muscovado sugar; 1 tsp Lemon juice

A nostalgic Kentish classic featuring intensely sweet, airy whipped brown sugar and evaporated milk baked in crisp shortcrust pastry.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· South East England

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 415 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

200 g Plain flour — plus extra for dusting
100 g Unsalted butter — chilled and diced
25 g icing sugar — sifted
1 g Fine sea salt — pinch
3 tbsp cold water — for binding the pastry
410 g Evaporated milk — one standard can, chilled in fridge overnight
300 g dark muscovado sugar — gives characteristic toffee depth
1 tsp Lemon juice — cuts through the intense sweetness

Equipment

•23cm fluted tart tin
•electric hand whisk
•mixing bowl
•rolling pin
•ceramic baking beans

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 415 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 58 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 6 g
calories: 415 kcal

Instructions

1
Rub the chilled butter into the plain flour, icing sugar, and salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2
Add the cold water gradually and bring the dough together into a smooth, firm ball.
3
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
4
Prick the base with a fork and chill the pastry case in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
6
Line the pastry with greaseproof paper, fill with ceramic baking beans, and blind-bake for 15 minutes.
7
Remove the paper and baking beans, then bake for another 5 minutes until the pastry base is dry and pale gold.
8
Pour the chilled evaporated milk, dark muscovado sugar, and lemon juice into a large mixing bowl.
9
Whisk with an electric hand whisk on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until light, thick, and coffee-coloured.
10
Pour the whipped mixture into the warm pastry case and level the top gently.
11
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until a delicate crust forms on the surface with a slight wobble underneath.
12
Leave to cool completely in the tin at room temperature, then chill for at least two hours before slicing.

Chef's tips

The evaporated milk must be thoroughly chilled in the fridge overnight or it will not whip into a voluminous foam. Whisk for the full duration until the mixture doubles in volume and holds a soft foam. Do not overbake, as the filling should remain silky beneath the thin surface crust.

Ingredient substitutions

dark muscovado sugar → light muscovado sugar or dark brown soft sugar
homemade shortcrust pastry → ready-rolled shortcrust pastry sheet

Storage

Store leftover tart covered in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating

Gypsy tart is traditionally served cold and should not be reheated.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using warm or room-temperature evaporated milk, which stops the filling from whipping properly.
•Under-whisking the filling, leading to a runny, liquid tart after baking.
•Overbaking the tart until it bubbles excessively and curdles the milk solids.

Serving suggestions

Serve chilled with a dollop of unsweetened clotted cream or crème fraîche to balance the sweetness.Pair with a handful of fresh tart raspberries or redcurrants.Accompany with a strong cup of English breakfast tea.