Treacle Tart - Harry Potter's Favorite Dessert

Treacle Tart with Harry's Lightning Bolt

Treacle, or Lyle's Golden syrup, can be found at food stores with an international section. I found it at a local World Market in Southern California. Some other recipes substitute molasses for black treacle, but I like the golden syrup. Sweet-tooth people will like this treat!

Ingredients:
store bought refrigerated pie crust
OR make pastry crust (use recipe below or your favorite tart dough recipe

Pastry Crust
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (½ cup) cold butter, cut into small cubes
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
⅛ cup cold water

Filling
1 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup
1½ cups fresh bread crumbs (put 4 slices white bread in food processor and pulse until crumbs)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Instructions:
Crust: In a food processor add flour, salt, sugar and pulse to combine. Add butter cubes and process until mixture gets to a coarse meal texture. Through the feed tube, add water slowly and pulse until the dough comes together when pinched.

Remove dough onto a floured surface and gather into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and flatten dough into a disc shape. Refrigerate 1 hour. Crust should fill one pie/tart pan, or 12 muffin cups, or 6 four-inch mini-tart pans with enough scraps to decorate the tops with some pastry cut-outs.

Filling: In a saucepan or microwaveable bowl, heat the syrup slightly to thin the consistency, making it easier to mix with the other ingredients. Add bread crumbs, lemon juice and zest and stir to combine thoroughly.

Assembly: Roll pastry dough into an 11 inch circle; use plenty of flour on the work surface and rolling pin. Fold the dough circle in half, then in half again, before transferring to the pie or tart pan. Gently unfold and pat the dough into the pan. For the mini tarts, roll out the dough and cut 4-6 inch circles, then pat dough into the pans. Use excess dough scraps to make a lattice top or cut out shapes to decorate the tops of the tarts.

Spoon the filling into the tart pan(s). Add decorations on top of the filling and brush with egg wash.

Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove and let cool, unmold the tart carefully and serve with unsweetened whipped cream and some raspberries for garnish. Or with vanilla ice cream it is delicious.

 

If you can't find the golden syrup locally, it can be ordered online. I use mini tart pans similar to the Wilton ones, but mine don't have the removable bottoms, which are a really nice feature.

 

Next Stop: Honeydukes Candy Shop or
Return to: Party Food


References:

• Filling: http://www.examiner.com/baking-in-detroit/treacle-tart-recipe-bake-harry-s-favorite-for-your-next-potter-party
• Pastry Crust: http://www.joyofbaking.com/ButterTarts.html