Manchester Tart

The Manchester tart is a traditional English baked tart, which consists of a shortcrust pastry shell, spread with raspberry jam, covered with a custard filling and topped with flakes of coconut. The original Manchester Tart is a simple modern version of an earlier recipe, the Manchester Pudding, which was first recorded by the Victorian cookery writer, Mrs Beeton.

Ingredients:

butter, for greasing
500g ready-made shortcrust pastry
Plain flour, for dusting
200g raspberry jam
15ml desiccated coconut
300g fresh raspberries
500ml full-fat milk
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out with a knife
5 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
30ml cornflour
10ml icing sugar, for dusting
400ml double cream, whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
50ml desiccated coconut, toasted in a dry frying pan until golden-brown, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease a 10in tart pan with butter.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to a ¼in thickness. Line the prepared tart pan with the pastry. Prick the pastry several times with a fork, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When the pastry case has rested, place a sheet of baking parchment into it and half-fill with baking beans. Transfer the pastry case to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

Remove the baking parchment and baking beans and return the pastry case to the oven for a further 4-5 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

Spread the raspberry jam onto the pastry base in an even layer. Sprinkle over the three tablespoons of non-toasted desiccated coconut and half of the fresh raspberries. Set the pastry base aside.

Bring the milk, vanilla pod and vanilla seeds to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod (put it in a jar of sugar to give ‘vanilla sugar’).

In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until well combined.

Pour the hot milk and vanilla mixture over the egg and sugar mixture, whisking continuously, until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Return the mixture to the pan over a medium heat. Whisk in the cornflour, a tablespoon at a time, until well combined. Heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Transfer the custard mixture to a clean bowl and dust with the icing sugar (this prevents a skin from forming on the surface of the custard). Set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes when cool enough to go in the fridge.

Whisk the whipped double cream into the chilled custard mixture until well combined.

Spoon the custard and cream mixture into the pastry case in an even layer. Sprinkle over the remaining fresh raspberries.

To serve, sprinkle over the three tablespoons of toasted desiccated coconut and serve immediately.