Treacle Tart

Video

Preparation

1. First make the shortcrust pastry: measure the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (or use a food processor). Add about three tablespoons of cold water and mix to a firm dough, wrap in cling film, and chill for about 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and put a heavy baking tray in to heat up. Grease a deep 18cm loose-bottomed fluted flan tin with butter.
3. Remove about 150g of pastry from the main ball and set aside for the lattice top.
4. Roll the rest of the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured surface and line the prepared tin. Prick the base with a fork to stop it rising during baking.
5. Place the reserved pastry for the lattice on cling film and roll out thinly. Egg wash it and chill in the fridge (the cling film makes it easier to move). Don't cut into strips yet, and don't egg wash the strips once they're on the tart, as it will drip into the treacle.
6. To make the filling, heat the syrup gently in a large pan but do not boil. Once melted, add the breadcrumbs, lemon juice and zest (use less lemon for a milder citrus taste). If the mixture looks runny, add a few more breadcrumbs.
7. Pour the syrup mixture into the lined tin and level the surface.
8. Remove the reserved pastry from the fridge and cut into long strips 1cm wide, all longer than the edges of the tin. Egg wash the edge of the pastry in the tin and weave the strips into a lattice over the filling, leaving them hanging over the edge.
9. Once the lattice is in place, use the tin edge to cut off the strips by pressing down with your hands for a neat finish.
10. Bake on the pre-heated tray in the hot oven for about 10 minutes until the pastry starts to colour, then reduce the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 (covering with foil if the lattice is getting too dark).
11. Bake for a further 25–30 minutes until the pastry is golden-brown and the filling set.
12. Remove from the oven and leave to firm up in the tin. Serve warm or cold.