Manchester Tart

A staple on school dinner menus until the mid-1980s. With crisp pastry, a luscious layer of jam, creamy custard and toasted coconut, this simple yet tasty version of the Manchester Tart uses the retro classic: custard powder. For more nostalgic recipes, take a look at the Retro Classics Cookbook.

5/5
1

6-8

30 mins plus chilling

Ingredients

For the pastry:

Plain flour 175g (6oz), plus extra for dusting

Salt pinch

Butter 75g (3oz), chilled and cubed

Icing sugar 1 tbsp

Egg yolks 2

For the filling:

Custard powder 2 heaped tbsp

Caster sugar 2 tbsp

Milk 600ml (1 pint)

Seedless raspberry jam 75g (3oz)

Desiccated coconut 25g (1oz)

Glacé cherry 1 (optional)

Instructions

Put the flour, salt, butter, icing sugar and egg yolks into a food processor then whizz together. Briefly knead on a lightly floured surface to bring the pastry together. Wrap and chill for 15 minutes.

On a floured surface (or between two sheets of baking paper), roll out the pastry and use to line a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed flan tin (see Tip). Prick the base with a fork and chill for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°fan/Gas 7.

Make the custard: put the custard powder and caster sugar in a non-stick saucepan and add a little of the milk. Mix to a paste and then add the remaining milk, stirring. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously, and then pour into a jug.

Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans or dry rice, then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans or rice, reduce the temperature to 190°C/170°fan/Gas 5 and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the pastry is crisp. Leave to cool.

Spoon the jam into the pastry case and spread over the base. Cover with half of the coconut. Top with the custard (you may need to remove the skin) then the remaining coconut. Finish with a cherry in the centre, if using.

Chill for 1 hour before slicing.

Cook’s Tips

If you find the pastry difficult to roll out, place the ball of dough in the centre of the tin and use a large metal spoon to press it out to the edges and then up the sides of the tin. Or, for convenience, buy a ready-made sweet pastry case.