Peach Almond Treacle Tart
As you’ve seen, I love to make savory pies. That said, this week I took a much needed break from meats and veg and switched my focus to creating the ultimate sugar high. Longing for something seasonal, I took a traditional treacle tart and pumped it full of stone fruit and fantasy! I added a layer of fresh peaches, some ground ginger, and some almonds for a complex texture. I served this warm peach treacle tart with some homemade vanilla ice cream and it simply sang of summer!
Treacle: A Brief UK History
Treacle is a catch-all name in the United Kingdom for any syrup produced from sugar. Before the 17th century, treacle was used as a medicine. It was considered very good for the blood so was used in antidotes to poisons. In the mid-18th century it started being used in recipes for gingerbread and other spiced desserts.
Today, treacle is often referred to as golden syrup. In fact, Lyle’s Golden Syrup is a UK baking staple and the cutest container you’ll ever see (feast your peepers on the image below)! Golden syrup originated in 1881 when Scotsman Abram Lyle set up a sugar-refinery in London, processing sugar cane into sugar loaves. At that time, sugar was bought in large mounds that had to be pounded or grated by hand. It was soon discovered that one specific byproduct needed just a touch more refining in order to become a wonderfully sweet, thick, and sticky syrup. He started selling it to his workers from large barrels and the syrup was affectionately nicknamed “Goldy”. A short time later, the good news of “Goldy” spread outside the confines of his refinery and onto the wishlists of neighbors. Just two years later, in 1883, Lyle’s Golden Syrup was minted. And 135 years after that, yours truly discovered this tinned treat; and her baking game (and pantry shelf quirkiness) was never the same again.
Peach Almond Treacle Tart
Eat While: Braiding your hair.
Pairings: Glass of Madeira, a dram of scotch, or a cup of oolong tea
Dedicated Time: 3 1/2 hours
Components:
For the Pie Crust:
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c almond meal
1/4 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, chilled and diced
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
Combine flour, almond meal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. With your fingers or a pastry cutter, mix the butter into the dry mixture until the flour is completely coated. Mixture should resemble corn meal. You can also pulse in a food processor, ~15-20 times instead of mixing by hand. If you go this route, transfer to a large mixing bowl after.
Beat egg yolk with the cream and vanilla and pour into the flour/butter mixture. Toss with a rubber spatula until dough sticks together. Knead briefly to finish mixing. Form 1/3 of the dough into 1 disk and the remaining 2/3 into another disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours (can chill up to 3 days).
For the Treacle Filling:
1 large peach, thinly sliced
1 c golden syrup (treacle)
2 c fresh bread crumbs (make sure not to use packaged crumbs. I pulsed 6 slices of firm bread in a food processor)
1/2 c almonds, chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Warm the treacle (either in microwave or on the stove) just until runny. Combine it with bread crumbs, almonds, and ginger in a bowl and mix well.
Pie Assembly:
Preheat oven to 350°F
Remove the larger disk of chilled dough from the refrigerator and sprinkle both sides generously with flour. On a floured surface, roll out dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit it into the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan and press into the bottom and sides. If dough gets too soft while working with it, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Lay the thinly sliced peaches on the bottom of the tart. Scrape the treacle mixture on top and spread it evenly over the peaches with a spatula.
Remove the smaller disk of dough from the refrigerator and sprinkle generously with flour. On a floured surface, roll out dough until 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into thin strips with a knife or pizza cutter. Lay half of the strips over the tart in 1 direction and lay the other half over in the opposite direction to create a lattice effect (no need to weave it). Brush top of pie with the beaten egg and bake until golden brown (~45 minutes). Serve warm, preferably with vanilla ice cream on the side.
*8 servings
