Treacle Tart

You too can feast like the students at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with this homemade treacle tart. It’d also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu.

Over the years I have participated in several cooking groups, mostly celebrating various holidays. This year I embarked on something new called The Book Club Cookbook Cooking Crew organized by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Each month for a year, a different blogger picks a novel from which we will be creating a recipe. The novels and recipes in question are provided in a cookbook aptly named “The Book Club Cookbook”. As I have read several of the books included in this cookbook, I thought it would be a fun adventure! You can follow along by following #thebookclubcookbookCC on social media and find out more about the event HERE. (We also have a giveaway of the cook book which you can find at the end of this post.)

The novel I have chosen for this month is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Halloween may be over and you may not initially think that such a book is applicable to November but I protest this misconception. If you’ve ever read the book series or at least seen the movies you are familiar with the Thanksgiving-style feasts that are served at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I actually grew up reading these books one by one as they were released, and even went to a few midnight book releases so when I saw it was one of the available book options I pounced on it.

The recipe from the cookbook for this month is Harry Potter’s favorite treacle tart, one of the many luscious treats to magically appear on the tables at Hogwarts during the welcoming feast. While dark molasses and golden syrup may not be common things found in an American kitchen, the recipe is easily adapted using regular molasses, honey and corn syrup. I especially loved the hint of ginger and the nuttiness provided by the almonds. This would be a great alternative pie this Thanksgiving!

Want to join us this month? You can choose to read the book, make the recipe provided, adapt the recipe, or create your own recipe inspired by the book (check out my Harry Potter cookies and butter beer ice cream). You do not have to be one of the 12 hosts to join us! Anyone can join in by following the below guidelines:

1. Draw inspiration from the chosen recipe/book.
2. Blog about it! It doesn’t have to be a lengthy post. Just share your dish.
3. Include a link back to this post somewhere in your post. Grab the logo and use it if you’d like.
4. Your post must be current (during November 2015). And of course we don’t mind if your post is linked to other events. The more the merrier.
5. Email your entries to me at spiffycookie (at) gmail (dot) com by November 28th and include:
   • Your name
   • Your blog’s name and URL
   • The name of your dish and the permalink to the specific post you’resubmitting
   • Attach a photo of any size (or just give me permission to”pull” one from your post)
   • Indicate #thebookclubcookbookCC in the subject line

Deadline for submission is Saturday, November 28th.
Watch for the roundup to be posted on November 30th!

One year ago: Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Bagel Bites for One

Two years ago: Baked Choco-Peanut Butter Doughnuts

Three years ago: Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Cheesecake Frosting

Four years ago: Pumpkin Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

TREACLE TART

Makes 1 pie

Ingredients:

CRUST

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

2-3 Tbsp cold water

FILLING

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp golden syrup (or half light corn syrup half ginger honey)

1/4 cup dark molasses (or regular)

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko because it’s what I had)

1 tsp freshly grated ginger (optional, I omitted because I used ginger honey)

2/3 cup finely chopped almonds (optional)

Directions:

1. In a food processor fitted with a mixing blade, combine the flour, salt, and butter. Pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the water until a smooth ball forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer and fit into a 9-inch pie or tart pan, folding over or cutting off the excess (can use excess for a lattice top or other decor on top).
4. Place pie weights into the bottom of the crust and bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 before filling.
5. While the crust cools, make the filling. Add all the filling ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until mixture is slightly thinned. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust (add lattice topping or extra crust if desired, I added a lightning bolt).
6. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden and filling bubbles. Serve warm with ice cream.

Source: Adapted slightly from The Book Club Cookbook.

Items you may need (affiliate links):

One of our lucky readers – US and Canada only! – can enter to win a copy ofThe Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club’s Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from November 1st till November 30th at 4 o’clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

*Disclosure: Erin received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club’s Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give a copy away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.