Mini Treacle Tarts

These mini treacle tarts are made with golden syrup, fresh white breadcrumbs, lemon, and buttery shortcrust pastry. The filling is sweet, sticky, and packed with citrus flavor, while the pastry bakes up crisp and golden. Perfect for afternoon tea, dessert, or whenever you're craving a classic British treat.

Recipe Developer-Estefania

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Ingredients

For the Tart Shells

▢ 2 sheet ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

For the Filling

▢ 400 g golden syrup
▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest
▢ 2 tablespoon lemon juice
▢ 150 g fresh white breadcrumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (320°F fan / 160°C fan).
Unroll 2 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry and cut out circles large enough to fit your tart tins. Press the pastry into the tins and trim away any excess.
Prick the base of each tart shell with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 10–12 minutes until lightly golden. Remove the parchment paper and baking beans.
Add 1¼ cups (400 g) golden syrup to a saucepan and warm gently over low heat until loosened. Do not let it boil.
Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon (30 ml) lemon juice, and 3 cups (150 g) fresh white breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined and cook for 1–2 minutes.
Spoon the filling evenly into the baked pastry shells and smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
Bake at 350°F / 180°C (320°F fan / 160°C fan) for 15 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 320°F / 160°C (285°F fan / 140°C fan) and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden.
Leave the mini treacle tarts in the tins for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Use Fresh Breadcrumbs: Fresh breadcrumbs work best in this recipe because they absorb the golden syrup beautifully and create the traditional soft, slightly chewy texture. I like making them from soft white bread for the best results.

Warm the Golden Syrup Gently: The golden syrup should be warmed just until it loosens and becomes easier to mix. I avoid letting it boil because it can make the filling thicker than intended.

Do Not Skip the Blind Bake: I always blind bake the pastry shells first because it helps keep the base crisp once the sticky filling is added.

Serve Them Your Way: These mini treacle tarts are delicious served warm when the filling is soft and gooey. I also enjoy them at room temperature after the filling has had time to settle.

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