Manchester Tart - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

Published: Mar 19, 2022 · Modified: Apr 7, 2023 by Daniela Apostol · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

“This is a sponsored post byRobinson's Fresh Foods. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.”

A delicious British pudding, this Manchester tart has a shortcrust pastry made from scratch, a layer of jam, a layer of custard, and it's then topped with desiccated coconut and Maraschino cherries. It's so scrumptious, and super easy to make too!

This might not be quite the quickest dessert I have ever baked, but it surely is gorgeous! Look at that slice of heaven! Well, yes, we can go for shortcuts, where the shortcrust pastry could be ready-made and the custard too, but then, it wouldn't be as delicious, I can assure you!

Not when you can purchase all the ingredients locally, and you know that they are ingredients you can trust to give you the very best food for your family. And it's even better when everything can be bought from the same place!

This traditional British custard tart has always been popular, and it's easy to see why. It's refreshing, sweet without being overly so, especially that you can control how much sugar it can go in it. Let's see how to make it!

Ingredients needed

Make the pastry first, as it needs time to chill in the fridge too, and meanwhile you can get on with the custard. The ingredients needed are super basis, nothing fancy.

• plain flour - for the pastry and custard
• cold butter - for the pastry
• eggs - for the pastry and custard
• milk - full fat is the best
• sugar - caster or granulated
• vanilla extract
• desiccated coconut
• jam - of your choice
• cherries

Step-by-step photos and instructions

• in a large bowl, sift the flour, add the cold butter cut into cubes, and use your fingertips to rub them together until you get a breadcrumb-like mixture
• add the egg beaten lightly and cold water, and knead into a dough
• cover it with clingfilm, and refrigerate for 20 minutes
• use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about half a centimetre, then arrange it over a pie/tart dish
• use a fork to prick it in several places, cover it with non-stick paper, fill with dry pulses or baking ceramic beans, and bake at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes
• remove the paper and pulses, and leave it to bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden
• spread the jam over the bottom of the pastry, and set aside

NOTE! I did not add any sugar to the shortcrust pastry, as the jam and custard will add enough sweetness to this pudding, but you can, if you wish add either icing or regular sugar. I would go for 2-3 tablespoons only though.

The custard

One ingredient is crucial if you want to get the best custard: vanilla! I chose vanilla extract, but you can also go for vanilla pods instead. Just make sure it's a good quality one, as this will make the different between a flavourful custard and a not-so-delicious one.

• in a bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar and flour, and mix to get a thick paste
• heat up the milk to the boiling hot, then slowly pour it over the egg mixture, whisking well to avoid lumps
• transfer the mixture back to the pan, and simmer until it thickens, whisking continuously
• add the vanilla extract, and mix again
• leave the custard to cool down slightly, then pour it in the pastry shell
• top with desiccated coconut, and decorate with maraschino cherries
• refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight

Expert tips

It could feel like there are quite a few steps, but trust me, it's well worth it! Vanilla custard is the popular option, but you can have any other flavours too. My Mango Custard could go very well here too!

Or it can be turned into mini tartlets, like in my Strawberry Custard and Cream Tartlets, which make the perfect party food.

The original tart recipe calls for raspberry jam, but I opted for strawberry jam instead, which is as delicious. But again, any other jam would do, no need to buy one specifically for this tart.

Do make sure you allow plenty of time for the tart to set, otherwise you will end up with a big mess when you try to slice it. Other than that, enjoy, you are in for a treat!

If you’ve liked myMANCHESTER TARTor any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFACEBOOK,INSTAGRAMandPINTERESTto see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.