Make Harry Potter's treacle tart; it's his favorite dessert. This simple and delicious homemade tart is made with golden syrup, breadcrumbs, and lemon juice.
Anyone who has read the Harry Potter books has heard of the famous treacle tart, mentioned in several of the books, whether baked by the Hogwarts elves or by Harry's elf, Kreacher.
When I decided to make this Harry Potter series inspired by the books and movies, I knew I had to try this dessert. It’s one of the most iconic foods from the books, with only butterbeer and pumpkin juice being mentioned more often.
I'm so glad I made it because I loved it. Despite using a lot of golden syrup, the pie isn't overly sweet. The lemon juice mixed with the syrup and breadcrumbs adds a delicious tanginess and aroma that balances the sweetness.
What I liked most is that this homemade treacle tart has a cookie-like texture once it’s cold and set. The next day, it tastes like a lemony jam cookie - my favorite kind!
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What is the tart made of?
This traditional British tart is made with a shortcrust pastry filled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, golden syrup, and plenty of lemon juice to balance the sweetness.
The dessert was created after the invention of golden syrup in the late 19th century and has become popular not only for its delicious taste but also for its affordability.
Try more British tart recipes: Mincemeat Tarts or Lemon Curd Tartlets.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Is treacle the same as corn syrup?
No. Corn syrup is made from corn starch, where sugars are extracted from corn and processed into a liquid form. It has a mild flavor and prevents crystallization, which is why it's commonly used in making syrups, ice cream, and sorbets.
Treacle, also known as golden syrup or light treacle, is an entirely different product. It is an inverted sugar syrup made from sugar cane or sugar beet. Treacle is about 25% sweeter than regular sugar, has a rich golden color, and a slight caramel flavor.
It’s important not to confuse it with black treacle, which is similar to molasses and has a much stronger flavor. Black treacle is typically used in toffee, puddings, and cakes.
Use more golden syrup to make Last-Minute Mincemeat Cake, too.
How to make treacle tart?
Crust and filling
I used a barely sweetened crust, the one that I used for making the Pumpkin Pasties as well.
- Butter: Cut the butter into small cubes. Place them in one layer on a plate and freeze them for about 15 minutes; they should not be frozen but should get really cold.
Step #1: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the food processor or stand mixer and mix well.
Step #2: Pulse cold butter cubes until the dough resembles breadcrumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and pulse until the dough comes together.
Add the third tablespoon of water if necessary. Sometimes, I do add it, and sometimes, I do not. It depends on how exactly you weigh the flour and sometimes on the brand of the flour itself. The dough should hold together when you press a little bit between your fingers.
- Form the dough into a ball, divide it into two discs (one slightly larger), and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step #3: Warm the golden syrup. Add breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and juice and combine.
Step #4: Roll out the larger pastry disc into a circle large enough to cover the bottom and edges of your tart pan.
Step #5: Press the dough into the pan, including the fluted edges.
Step #6: Pour the syrup mixture into the prepared pie dish and level the top.
Topping
You can cover the treacle tart with a traditional lattice, or you can decorate it to resemble Harry's face.
Lattice:
- Roll out the second disc of pastry into a circle about 3 mm/ ⅛ inch thick and about 23 cm/ 9 inches in diameter. Cut the pastry into long strips for the lattice topping.
- Lay half of the strips over the filling in one direction and the other half of the strips in the other direction to form a lattice. Trim the edges.
- Mix the egg and the water and brush the lattice and the edges of the pie with the mixture.
Harry Potter decoration:
- If you want to decorate the homemade treacle tart to resemble Harry Potter, cut out shapes for the glasses, scar, and mouth from the pastry.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie dish and smooth the top. Arrange the Harry Potter decorations on top, brush them with egg wash, and bake.
- This will leave you with some leftover pastry. You can cut these scraps into biscuits and bake them separately until golden, or freeze the pastry for another use, like making a small pie later.
Bake the tart
- Bake for 10 minutes at 200°C/ 400°F, then reduce the heat to 180°C/ 360°F and continue baking for another 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling puffs up in the center.
- The filling should still be slightly jiggly.
Good to know!
Always use a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) to measure the ingredients, especially when baking.
The dish: It's best to use a tart tin with a removable bottom (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab), as it makes it easier to remove the tart. A regular pie dish will also work, but you'll need to be more careful when taking the tart out. Alternatively, you can use a ceramic pie dish, which allows you to cut and serve the tart directly from the dish.
The pie dish should be about 23 cm (9 inches) in diameter, so roll the pastry into a circle with a diameter of around 26 cm (10 inches).
Recipe FAQs
There's nothing in this recipe that spoils easily, so the tart can be kept at room temperature for a couple of days. If you have leftovers that need to be stored for longer, place them in a container and refrigerate.
Yes, you can freeze treacle tart. Just let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil or place it in an airtight container. It will be ok for 2-3 months. To serve, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and warm it in the oven if desired.
Traditionally, treacle tart is served warm with custard, clotted cream, or whipped cream. It also pairs well with ice cream.
We enjoyed our homemade treacle tart plain, and I found that it tasted even better the next day when it was set and had a cookie-like texture. However, how you serve it is really up to your taste.
Treacle Tart - Harry Potter-inspired
Equipment
- Loose-bottomed pie dish Note 2
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 280 g unsalted butter 10 oz/ 1 cup + 2 ½ tablespoons , Notes 3, 4
- 350 g all-purpose flour 12.5 oz/ scant 3 cups
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons water very cold
Filling:
- 315 g golden syrup 11 oz/ 1 cup, Note 5
- 110 g fresh breadcrumbs 4 oz, Note 6
- 1 lemon
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for brushing the pastry
Instructions
Pastry:
- Chill butter: Cut the butter into small cubes, place them in one layer on a plate, and put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes; they should not be frozen but get really cold.280 g unsalted butter/ 1 cup + 2 ½ tablespoons
- Mix flour, sugar, and salt in the stand mixer.350 g all-purpose flour/ 12.5 oz/ scant 3 cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon salt
- Add the butter cubes and process shortly, about 10 pulses, but it depends on the machine you are using. The dough should resemble breadcrumbs.
- Dough: Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of icy water, and pulse a few times again until the dough comes together. Add the third tablespoon of water if necessary. Sometimes I add it, sometimes not; it depends on how exactly you weigh the flour and sometimes on the brand of the flour itself. The dough should hold together when you press a little bit of it between your fingers.2-3 tablespoons water
- Refrigerate: Form a ball, divide it into two discs, one a bit larger than the other, and wrap the discs tightly in plastic foil. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Filling:
- Make breadcrumbs: Remove the crust from the bread, weigh the 110 g/ 4 oz needed, and make breadcrumbs in your food processor.110 g fresh breadcrumbs/ 4 oz
- Zest and juice the lemon.1 lemon
- Combine filling: Place the golden syrup into a small saucepan and warm gently until it is runny; it will not take long. Combine the syrup, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and lemon juice very well.315 g golden syrup/ 11 oz/ 1 cup
Assemble the treacle tart:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F.
- Roll dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger disc into a circle large enough to cover the bottom and the edges of your pie dish. Place the rolled-out pastry sheet into your dish, pressing the dough into the fluted edges of the pan.
- Lattice: Roll out the second disc of pastry into a circle of about ⅛ inch/ 3 mm thickness and a diameter of about 9 inches/ 23 cm. Cut the pastry into long strips for the lattice topping.
- Harry Potter decoration: If you want to decorate the treacle tart to resemble Harry Potter, cut out the glasses, the scar, and the mouth. In this case, will have leftover pastry in this case. You can cut it into biscuits and bake them separately until golden. Or freeze the leftover pastry for making a small pie some other time.
- Assemble the tart: Pour the filling into the prepared pie dish and level the top. Lay half of the strips over the filling in one direction and the other half of the strips in the other direction to form a lattice. Trim the edges.
- Egg wash: Mix the egg and the water and brush the lattice and the edges of the pie with the mixture.1 egg + 1 tablespoon water
- Bake the tart for 10 minutes at 400°F/ 200°C, then reduce the heat to 350°F/ 180°Cand continue baking for another 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling puffs up in the center. The filling should still be slightly jiggly.
Notes
- Measurements: A digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) will give you the most precise measure, ensuring the best bake possible.
- My pie dish (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) has a diameter of 9 inches/ 23 cm, so I rolled the dough into a circle of about 10 inches/ 26 cm in diameter. It is loose-bottomed (like a springform), which makes it easier for me to remove the tart from the form. A regular dish works as well, but you will have to be more careful when taking the tart out of the form. Or use a ceramic pie dish so you can cut and serve the tart directly from the dish.
- Butter: European-style butter is best; it has less water.
- Tart crust: Alternatively, you can use 2 ready-made pie crusts.
- Golden syrup is also known as treacle or light treacle. It is not to be confused with corn syrup or black treacle.
- Breadcrumbs: Made from crustless white toast bread.
Nutrition
Cypress says
This recipe did not work out for me at all and was dry like a biscuit. Then I realized that the quantity for breadcrumbs in the recipe is not quite correct. It says 2 1/4 cups of breadcrumbs which is not equivalent to the 110g or 4 oz. I am sure the recipe is delicious had I not or so much in!
Adina says
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. The measurement in cups refers to breadcrumbs made from fresh bread, which are more voluminous. I’ve removed that to avoid confusion—using a scale is so much more accurate and reliable.
Ali says
What is the consistancy of the filling supposed to be? I feel like after it was baked the filling didn’t change form at all.
Adina says
Hi Ali. The filling should be a bit like a sturdier jam , but not too stiff.
margo says
Can't wait to try this! My mom used to make a treacle tart using Lyles Golden Syrup but used rolled oats as a topping instead of breadcrumbs and no top crust. 🙂
Adina says
I hope you like it, Margo. Rolled oats sound great as well.
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
I am really enjoying your series of Harry Potter treats - that chocolate cake! I, too, didn't know what a treacle tart was when I started the books some 15 (?) years ago. This tart is LOVELY and I like that it is not overly gooey the next day, making it easier to serve and eat. It looks and sounds like a delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing!
grace says
we don't use golden syrup either, though i know what it is. i think this is a clever creation, and i'd appreciate the sweetness of it all. 🙂
Beth says
I wouldn't have thought to bake a treacle tart, but you make it sound so good! And I'd love to bake something that reminds me of the Harry Potter world.