Golden Syrup Tart

A classic British dessert featuring a crispy shortcrust pastry shell and a delicate filling made with golden syrup, breadcrumbs, and lemon. A lattice pattern of pastry strips adorns the tart, making it truly festive.

Ingredients

• 250 g Wheat flour
• 135 g Butter
• 3 tbsp Cold water
• 400 g Golden syrup
• 150 g Breadcrumbs
• 1 pcs Lemon
• 1 pcs Egg

Instructions

1. Make the shortcrust pastry: tip the flour into a large bowl and rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (or use a food processor). Add three tablespoons of ice-cold water and mix to a stiff dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for about 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C and place a heavy baking tray inside to heat. Lightly butter an 18 cm diameter tart tin.
3. Reserve about 150 g of dough for the lattice decoration on top. Roll out the remaining dough thinly on a floured surface and line the prepared tin.
4. Prick the base with a fork to prevent it from rising during baking. Roll out the reserved dough thinly on cling film, brush with beaten egg, and chill (the film will help you move it more easily). Do not cut the strips into pieces yet, and do not brush them with egg after laying them on the filling, or the syrup will run.
5. Make the filling: gently heat the golden syrup in a large saucepan without boiling. Add the breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and zest (reduce the amount of lemon if you prefer a more subtle flavour). If the mixture looks too liquid, add a few more breadcrumbs.
6. Pour the syrup filling into the pastry case and smooth the surface.
7. Remove the reserved dough from the fridge and cut it into strips 1 cm wide and longer than the edges of the tin. Brush the pastry edges in the tin with beaten egg and arrange the strips in a crossed lattice pattern, leaving the ends overhanging the tin edge.
8. Once the lattice is complete, press the edges down to the tin edge with your hands, trim the strips, and create a neat edge.
9. Place the tart on the preheated baking tray in the hot oven and bake for about 10 minutes until the pastry begins to turn golden. Then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C. If the lattice starts to brown too much, cover the tart with foil.
10. Continue baking for a further 25–30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling has set.
11. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool in the tin. Serve warm or cold.