Go Back
Twelve golden Ecclefechan tarts on a wooden board, dark jammy filling with walnut pieces showing

Scottish Ecclefechan Tarts with Brown Sugar and Walnuts

Twelve shortcrust tarts filled with brown sugar, dried fruit and walnuts, baked for 22 minutes at 190 C / 375 F.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 12 tarts
Course: Tea-Time Treat
Cuisine: British
Calories: 203

Ingredients
  

Shortcrust pastry
  • 200 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling
  • 100 g unsalted butter cold, cubed
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 3 ice water to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml); add gradually
Filling
  • 60 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 90 g light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar (15 ml)
  • 100 g mixed dried fruit (currants and sultanas)
  • 40 g walnuts roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp soft butter for greasing the tin

Method
 

Make the pastry
  1. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces. Stir in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clumps, then press it into a disc, wrap it and chill for 30 minutes.
  2. While the dough chills, heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F (170 C fan) and grease a 12-hole tart tin with 7 cm / 2.75-inch cups using the soft butter.
  3. Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to 3 mm thick. Cut twelve 10 cm / 4-inch rounds, re-rolling the scraps once, and press one round into each cup.
Fill and bake
  1. Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vinegar, then stir in the dried fruit and walnuts.
  2. Spoon the filling into the cases, stirring between scoops so the fruit is spread evenly. Fill each case only three-quarters full, because the sugar bubbles up as it bakes and sticks overfilled tarts to the tin.
  3. Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 22 minutes, until the filling is puffed and dark golden with no wobble and the pastry edges are golden brown.
  4. Cool the tarts in the tin for 15 minutes. Loosen each one with a small knife and move it to a wire rack.

Notes

  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes so the cases hold their shape.
  • Cool the melted butter for a few minutes before whisking in the eggs.
  • Fill the cases three-quarters full, never to the rim.
  • Loosen the tarts with a small knife after 15 minutes of cooling in the tin.