India Pale Ale Treacle Tart

There's a distinct nip in the air here in Devon although the sun is still shining. What could be better on a golden autumn evening than a lovely treacle tart and clotted Devonshire cream? This one includes IPA (India Pale Ale) which creates depth to the flavour.

Here's my tried and tested recipe. You don't, of course, have to have it with clotted cream, custard is a family favourite too!

Treacle Tart

Ingredients

Pastry
250g plain flour
125g chilled and chopped unsalted butter
75g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
Filling
700g golden syrup
50g honey
250g breadcrumbs
½ grapefruit, zest only
100ml IPA
3 medium eggs

Method

1 Put flour and butter in a bowl and rub together with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the icing sugar followed by the egg yolks. If the pastry feels too dry, add 2 tbsp water. Shape into a ball, flatten it out into a disc, wrap it in cling film, then chill for 30 mins.

2 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until big enough to line a 23cm fluted tart tin, about 3cm deep. Line the tin with the pastry, allowing the edges to overhang. Chill for another 30 mins.

3 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the tart with baking parchment and baking beans and bake blind for 20 mins. Remove the beans and parchment and bake for 10-15 mins more until the pastry is golden and crisp.

4 While the pastry is cooking, mix the golden syrup, honey, breadcrumbs, grapefruit zest, beer and eggs together in a large jug or bowl.

5 Lower oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Trim the pastry edges, then fill with the treacle mixture. Bake for 55 mins-1 hr until golden.



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Treacle Tart

SPRING is just around the corner but for now there is still a nip in the air and frost on the ground in the mornings. That's my excuse for turning to those lovely warming puddings! Here's one of my favourites:

Treacle Tart

Serves 6

Ingredients

350g shortcrust pastry
300g /10oz golden syrup
1 heaped tbsp black treacle
Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
4 medium free range eggs
25g /1oz fresh bread crumbs

Method

Heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4

Roll out the pastry to 5mm / ¼ inch (the depth of a pound coin).  Line a lightly greased 23cm /9 inch loose bottomed tart tin with the pastry,  trim off the edges, then place in the fridge for 30 mins to rest the pastry and prevent shrinkage in the oven - do not be tempted to miss this stage out or your baked cake will shrink unevenly.

Place a baking sheet in the preheated oven. Meanwhile, mix together the golden syrup and treacle with the lemon zest and juice. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add to the treacle mixture. Finally stir in the bread crumbs.

After the pastry has rested for 30 minutes, place the case on the preheated baking sheet, then carefully pour the mixture into the prepared tart case. (TIP: taking the mixture to the tart in the oven rather than the other way round, is easier and helps prevent spillages).

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the crust and filling are golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Serve hot with cream, ice cream or custard. If you let it cool, it will store for a couple of days in an airtight tin and is easy to reheat in a medium hot oven, or eat it cold.

Take a look at these websites for more kitchen information and pictures:
Country Kitchens
Kitchen Gallery
Kitchen Talk

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