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Sliced gypsy tart with caramel-colored muscovado filling and a crisp pastry edge on a rustic wooden board

Traditional Baked Gypsy Tart with Muscovado Sugar Filling

A Kent classic with a crisp pastry shell and a whipped evaporated milk and muscovado sugar filling baked until softly set.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 410

Ingredients
  

Pastry
  • 175 g plain flour
  • 85 g unsalted butter cold, cubed
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 cold water to 3 tbsp
Filling
  • 410 g evaporated milk (1 can); chilled overnight
  • 350 g dark muscovado sugar

Method
 

Make the Pastry
  1. Rub the cold, cubed butter into the flour and salt with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
  2. Add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a knife, until the dough just comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill for 20 minutes.
  3. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick and line a 23 cm / 9-inch tart tin. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork.
Blind Bake the Shell
  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with baking beans.
  2. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans. Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes until the base looks pale gold and dry to the touch. Set aside and reduce the oven to 170 C / 340 F.
Whisk and Bake the Filling
  1. Pour the chilled evaporated milk into a large mixing bowl with the dark muscovado sugar. Whisk with an electric mixer on high speed for 10 to 15 minutes until thick and pale caramel colored. It should roughly double in volume by the time you stop.
  2. Pour the filling into the warm pastry case and smooth the top with a spatula.
  3. Bake at 170 C / 340 F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a gentle wobble.
Cool and Serve
  1. Cool the tart in the tin at room temperature for 1 hour.
  2. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight, until fully set. Slice thin and serve cold.

Notes

  • Use a metal tart tin for even, crisp browning on the pastry base.
  • Whisk filling with an electric mixer; hand-whisking takes much longer to thicken.
  • Blind bake with baking beans to stop the pastry base puffing up.
  • Let the tart cool at room temperature for 1 hour before chilling.