TREACLE TART

If you can bear to sacrifice a few slices of Will’s sourdough, try this traditional British pud. It’s good with cream (especially clotted cream), ice cream or custard or just sliced and eaten for elevenses with a cup of tea or coffee.

You’ll need a 22cm loose-bottomed flan tin.

Treacle Tart (serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

400g shortcrust pastry

240g golden syrup

75g fresh breadcrumbs

The zest of 1 lemon, the juice of ½

1 tbsp milk

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

Roll out the pastry and line the tart tin, reserving any trimmings. Chill while you make the filling.

Warm the syrup gently in a saucepan until it’s running then stir in the breadcrumbs and leave off the heat to stand for 10 minutes for the crumbs to absorb the syrup. It should have the consistency of thick honey, so add more breadcrumbs if it’s too runny, or more golden syrup if it’s too gloopy.

Stir in the lemon zest and juice and spread the mixture evenly in the pastry case. Roll out the pastry trimmings and cut into narrow strips, using them to lattice the top of the pie.

Brush the lattice with milk to glaze and place near the top of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 190C/35F/Gas Mark 5 and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.