Delia Smith Treacle Tart Recipes

TREACLE TART

Steps:

• Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fingers to a fine breadcrumb-like texture (you can also do this part in a food processor). Stir though the icing sugar, then quickly add the egg yolks and 2 tbsp water, mixing swiftly with a cutlery knife to combine. Form into a ball (add another tbsp water if you need to), wrap and chill for 30 mins. Roll out to the thickness of a pound coin, and line a 22cm fluted tart tin with the pastry, leaving an overhang. Return to the fridge for 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a baking sheet into the oven to heat up. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans, then put in the oven on the baking sheet, and bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and bake for a further 10 mins or until the pastry is golden brown. Leave the pastry to cool before trimming off the overhanging edges with a small serrated knife.
• Lower the oven temperature to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Combine the golden syrup, ginger, ginger syrup, lemon, eggs and breadcrumbs in a bowl, briefly whisking everything together until combined. Carefully pour the filling into the pastry case put in the lower part of the oven to bake for 35-40 mins or until the filling is just set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down for 20 mins before serving with ice cream or thick clotted cream.

STEAMED TREACLE SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• First of all butter the basin, then measure 3 tablespoons of golden syrup into it. Then take a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking powder into it, add the softened butter, eggs, sugar and black treacle. Next, using an electric hand whisk (or a large fork and lots of elbow grease), beat the mixture for about 2 minutes until it's thoroughly blended. Now spoon the mixture into the basin and level the top using the back of the tablespoon. Place the sheet of foil over the greaseproof paper, make a pleat in the centre, and place this, foil-side uppermost, on top of the pudding. Pull it down the sides and tie the string, taking the string over the top and tying it on the other side to make yourself a handle for lifting. Trim off the excess paper all the way round. Now steam the pudding for 2 hours, checking the water level halfway through. To serve, loosen the pudding all round using a palette knife, invert it on to a warmed plate, and pour an extra 3 tablespoons of syrup (warmed if you like) over the top before taking it to the table. Serve with Proper Custard (see our Cookery School Video), or some well chilled crème fraîche.