Norfolk Treacle Tart

Name: Norfolk Treacle Tart
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: East Anglian
Ingredients: 200 g Plain flour; 100 g Cold unsalted butter; 0.25 tsp Fine sea salt; 45 ml cold water; 400 g golden syrup; 150 g fresh white breadcrumbs; 1 whole unwaxed lemon; 0.5 tsp ground ginger; 30 ml double cream

A classic Norfolk farmhouse dessert featuring crisp shortcrust pastry filled with zesty golden syrup and tender white breadcrumbs.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· East of England

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 75 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 395 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

200 g Plain flour — plus extra for dusting
100 g Cold unsalted butter — cut into small cubes
¼ tsp Fine sea salt — for the pastry
45 ml cold water — roughly 3 tbsp, chilled
400 g golden syrup — traditional cane syrup
150 g fresh white breadcrumbs — made from crustless white bread
1 whole unwaxed lemon — finely zested and juiced
½ tsp ground ginger — for a subtle warm spice note
30 ml double cream — 2 tbsp, to enrich the filling

Equipment

•20 cm loose-bottomed tart tin
•rolling pin
•baking beans
•saucepan
•fine grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 395 kcal
fat: 14 g
carbs: 64 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 395 kcal

Instructions

1
Rub the butter into the flour and salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2
Add cold water gradually and stir until the dough just comes together into a ball.
3
Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 20 cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
4
Prick the base with a fork and chill the pastry case in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5
Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and baking beans, then blind bake at 180°C fan for 15 minutes.
6
Remove the paper and beans, then bake for another 5 minutes until the base is dry and pale golden.
7
Gently warm the golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat on the hob until runny.
8
Stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, ground ginger, and double cream until combined.
9
Pour the warm filling evenly into the pre-baked pastry case.
10
Bake at 160°C fan for 25 to 30 minutes until the filling is lightly set and gently bubbling.
11
Leave the tart to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before slicing.

Chef's tips

Use soft fresh breadcrumbs rather than dried ones to ensure the filling stays chewy instead of hard. Do not overheat the syrup on the hob; warm it gently just enough to blend easily with the crumbs.

Ingredient substitutions

double cream → whole milk
ground ginger → ground cinnamon

Storage

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.

Reheating

Warm individual slices in an oven preheated to 150°C fan for 8 to 10 minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Baking at too high a temperature, which makes the sugary syrup boil over and turn rock hard.
•Using stale brown breadcrumbs instead of white, which alters the delicate flavour and texture.

Serving suggestions

Serve warm with a generous pour of chilled pouring cream.Enjoy at room temperature alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.Accompany with a hot cup of strong English breakfast tea.