Treacle Tart

Steps

1. 1
   Step 1:

   Measure the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, use a food processor.

2. 2
   Step 2:

   Add about three tablespoons of cold water and mix to a firm dough.

3. 3
   Step 3:

   Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

   20 min
4. 4
   Step 4:

   Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and place a heavy baking tray in the oven to heat.

5. 5
   Step 5:

   Grease a deep 18cm/7in loose-bottomed fluted flan tin with butter.

6. 6
   Step 6:

   Remove about 150g/5½oz of pastry from the main ball and set it aside for the lattice top.

7. 7
   Step 7:

   Roll the remaining pastry thinly on a lightly floured work surface.

8. 8
   Step 8:

   Line the prepared flan tin with the rolled pastry.

9. 9
   Step 9:

   Prick the pastry base with a fork to stop it rising during baking.

10. 10
    Step 10:

    Place the reserved pastry for the lattice top on cling film and roll it out thinly.

11. 11
    Step 11:

    Egg wash the pastry and chill it in the fridge. Do not cut it into strips at this stage.

12. 12
    Step 12:

    Heat the syrup gently in a large pan without boiling it.

13. 13
    Step 13:

    Once melted, add the breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the syrup.

14. 14
    Step 14:

    Add less lemon if you prefer a less citrus flavour. If the mixture looks runny, add a few more breadcrumbs.

15. 15
    Step 15:

    Pour the syrup mixture into the lined tin and level the surface.

16. 16
    Step 16:

    Remove the reserved pastry from the fridge and cut it into long strips, 1cm/½in wide. Make sure the strips are longer than the edges of the tart tin.

17. 17
    Step 17:

    Egg wash the edge of the pastry in the tin.

18. 18
    Step 18:

    Weave the pastry strips into a lattice over the filling, leaving the strips hanging over the edge of the tin.

19. 19
    Step 19:

    Press down along the tin edge with your hands to cut off the overhanging strips and create a neat finish.

20. 20
    Step 20:

    Bake on the preheated baking tray in the hot oven for about 10 minutes, until the pastry starts to colour. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

    10 min
21. 21
    Step 21:

    If the lattice is getting too dark brown, cover the tart with tin foil.

22. 22
    Step 22:

    Bake for a further 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is set.

    25–30 min
23. 23
    Step 23:

    Remove the tart from the oven and leave it to firm up in the tin.

24. 24
    Step 24:

    Serve warm or cold.