January has become the month for restraint. A time to re-think that flagging diet, reduce alcohol consumption and generally pay the piper for any festive indulgences. Well, I think this year restraint should be put on hold. Our economy is in freefall, the country is skint and the cost of living is rising. This January we want comfort food. We deserve comfort food.
Of all the foods tagged comfort food, few are more comforting than a treacle tart; served warm with a dollop of cream it’s proper old fashioned indulgence. My version of treacle tart packs a lemon and ginger punch. I find that this helps cut through the sweetness, improving the overall flavour. If, however, you are after something lest zesty then you can easily reduce the amounts, or leave them out altogether.
Making the pastry is the only tricky part of this recipe. You can of course buy pre-made sweet pastry but your efforts will be rewarded if you decide to make it from scratch. After making the pastry always chill it before rolling it out. This ensures the pastry firms up as the butter hardens, improving the texture and making it easier to handle. Once you have rolled it out and lined the tart ring place it in the refrigerator to chill the pastry again. You want the pastry to be very cold when it goes into the oven. This ensures the pastry begins to cook and set before the butter softens, giving the pastry shell a good shape. By contrast making the filling is extremely easy. You simply beat together all the ingredients and then pour them into a pre-baked pastry case.
Warm Treacle Tart
- For the pastry, process 125g of diced (room temperature) butter and 90g of caster sugar until smooth. Mix in an egg then pulse in 250g of sifted flour.
- Knead lightly and chill for 20 minutes. Roll out between 2 sheets of cling film and line a greased tart ring. Put back into the fridge to set the pastry.
- Beat 5 eggs & mix in 600g of golden syrup, 180g of breadcrumbs, a pinch of grated ginger and the juice & zest of 1 lemon. Stir in 450ml of double cream.
- Blind bake the pastry case at 180c until cooked. Remove the paper & baking beans. Brush with egg wash and return to the oven to seal.
- Remove the cooked pastry case, pour in the mix and bake at 150c until golden and set – about 25 minutes.
Seasonal Ingredients
Vegetables: Leeks, Swede, Winter Kale, Beetroot, Brussel Sprouts, Savoy Cabbage, Salsify
Fish: Brill, Cod , Coley, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Plaice, Scallops, Turbot, Whiting, Mackerel, Mussels
Fruit & Nuts: Apples, Pears
Meat: Hare, Vension