Good Bread series: Treacle Tart

Far be it from us not to conclude this series with a good-looking pie...or tart. In honor of the Irish holiday, bake a Irish treacle tart!

This tart is a touch flat, by American standards. It makes up for it, though, with its rich taste. The recipe I found uses golden syrup...but light or dark corn syrup can be substituted

"Treacle," by the way, is molasses -- or sweet syrup leftover from the sugarmaking process. A tablespoon of molasses is considered an excellent tonic. Bake one of these tarts, and you've gotten your spring tonic out of the way! 

Here's my version, adapted from  the original recipe here, courtesy of The Spruce.

TREACLE TART

Pastry:
2 cups flour
5 tablespoons butter
couple shakes of salt
ice water   (about 1/3 cup)

Filling:
1 1/4 cups golden syrup OR light corn syrup
1 tablespoon treacle (or dark molasses)
4 eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
      (or use one fresh lemon or lime, and include the grated zest from the skin, as well)
chopped pecans

Pastry first.  Mix butter into the flour/salt mixture until it resembles little crumbles. (Or grate the butter in -- much faster.) Add ice water, a little at a time, stirring as you go, until the mixture forms a ball. Roll out on a floured board, adding more flour as needed, then line a pie pan with the dough.
     The Spruce recommends keeping this in the refrigerator for at least 30 min., to help firm things up. It's not a bad idea -- but you can keep it in there all day, if need be.

When you're ready to start up again, heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Now the Filling. Mix all ingredients together except pecans. Pour into the pie shell, then sprinkle chopped pecans around the edge. Bake for 40-45 min., until the crust and filling are golden brown. Pie will be a little runny at first, but firms up nicely. Serve warm to eight hungry Irishmen (or women).

Another recipe for Treacle Tart is here.

The Nolands' recipe uses 1 cup of syrup, 2 eggs and a lot more breadcrumbs. They also bake the shell first, then add the filling before baking it more.

Obviously, you can adapt ingredients for this, based on what's in your pantry and fridge. The recipe reminds me somewhat of Amish or Pennsylvania Dutch Shoofly pie. 

Marie Claire's version is here.

 I'm now told this is Harry Potter's favorite food. Frankly, I have always found Harry and his cohorts more goofy than interesting. However, many of our friends are fascinated with Hogwarts and its environs.


  Enjoy.

This is how Marie-Claire's recipe turns out...they use less lemon juice, 
and recommend substituting cornflakes for the breadcrumbs