Gingery treacle tart
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Ready in 2 hours plus chilling
- Easy
- Serves 8 - 10
Ingredients
- 500g pack sweet shortcrust pastry
- a little flour, for dusting
- 300g granulated sugar
- 3 lemons, zested
- 5 firm pears, peeled
- 600g golden syrup
- 1 ball stem ginger, finely chopped, plus 1tbsp syrup from the jar
- 140g breadcrumb
- 3 eggs
Method
- STEP 1
Roll out the pastry with a little flour and use to line a loose-bottom 23cm round tin (it needs to be about 5cm high). Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides, then chill for 30 mins.
- STEP 2
In a large saucepan, melt the sugar with 800ml water and the zest of 1 lemon. Increase the heat until just simmering, drop in the pears, then cover and poach for 12-15 mins until almost tender. Lift out the pears, then set aside on some kitchen paper.
- STEP 3
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line the pastry case with baking paper, fill with baking beans, then bake blind for 15-20 mins until a pale biscuit colour. Remove the paper and beans, then bake for a further 5 mins. Meanwhile, put the golden syrup in a small pan with remaining zest, juice of 1 lemon and the chopped ginger and syrup, then warm until runny. Tip the breadcrumbs into a large bowl, then stir in the warm syrup and eggs.
- STEP 4
Reduce oven temperature to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Slice a little off the bottom of each pear so they stand upright, then space them out in the tin. Carefully spoon in the filling and bake for 50 mins-1hr until golden and set. Cool to room temperature, slice off the excess pastry to neaten the edges, then serve with cold cream or hot custard.