Gluten-Free Treacle Tart with Pecans

Now I adore a Classic British Treacle Tart but I do love to mess with things that ain’t broken and make them better! All it took was one time when I added a couple of tablespoons of bittersweet black treacle and toasted pecans into the filling and there was no looking back. I can't deny that I took inspiration from the US based Pecan Pie for this one. It's not quite as darkly rich as the latter and it still has the deep rich nursery flavours that make a traditional treacle tart so special. And it is still an absolute showcase for our British beloved golden syrup.

It's incredibly easy to make and I've got all the advice so you can make it perfectly each time.

• Make a simple gluten-free unsweetened shortcrust pastry with no xanthan gum.
• Blind bake your pastry case easily.
• Whisk together your filling ingredients in about 6 minutes.
• Bake your tart perfectly the first time you make it.

So, let’s go!

Ingredients Needed

The pie crust does not use a branded all-purpose gluten-free flour but rather a homemade blend of 3 flours which are perfectly chosen to give elasticity and strength to the pastry. For substitutions on any of the individual flours below visit the original post for the gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe. >>> The Best All-Butter Gluten-Free Shortcrust Pastry.

Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour). This starchy flour gives the pastry excellent structure. It’s unique binding properties give the pastry elasticity so it’s easy and forgiving to roll.

Sorghum flour. This wholegrain flour adds a crisp bite to the pastry and a lovely earthy flavour.

Tapioca flour. This smooth soft starchy flour which also helps bind the ingredients but also gives a lovely golden colour and crust when baked.

Butter. Choose good quality unsalted butter and use it directly from the fridge. This is how we achieve our beautifully buttery flavour.

Eggs. You need to use a whole egg for a rich taste then an extra egg white on top helps to avoid a crumbly pastry. Save the leftover egg yolk for sealing your blind baked pastry crust. You will also need another whole egg for the filling.

Golden syrup. This is a thick amber coloured inverted sugar syrup. You could substitute for corn syrup, although it won’t have the same deep flavour.

Black treacle. This is where we deviate from your usual Treacle Tart. It gives the tart a depth of flavour. It is a dark, bitter syrup derived from sugar refining, it’s used often in traditional British baking thanks to its rich and unique flavour. It can be substituted with molasses or dark corn syrup.

Double cream (heavy cream). This is used in the filling to create a sumptuous texture.

Lemon. The lemon zest and juice are important in this recipe to off-set the sweetness of all that syrup.

Gluten-free breadcrumbs. I recommend using fresh breadcrumbs for the filling.

Pecans. Only a handful of pecans are needed just to give a little more texture and body to the filling. Don’t worry, if you are a purist you can just leave them out without any bother.

Salt. Just a pinch is needed for both the pastry and the filling.

Equipment Needed

All of these items are helpful for a smooth baking process, but you can easily substitute with whatever you have on hand.

• Mixing bowls (for dry ingredients, wet ingredients, and filling).
• Balloon whisk (for mixing the flours for the pastry and the filling ingredients).
• Large rolling pin (for rolling out the pastry).
• 20cm Pie/Flan tin (preferably with a removable base, 20cm (8 inches) x 4 cm (1 ½ inches) deep.
• Baking parchment (for rolling the pastry and lining it when adding baking beans).
• Sharp knife (for trimming excess pastry).
• Baking beans or pie weights (to blind bake the pastry).
• Silicone pastry brush (for the egg wash).
• Small saucepan for warming the golden syrup and treacle.
• Silicone spatula or spoon (for scraping the filling into the pastry case).
• Cooling rack (for cooling the tart after baking).

Step-By-Step Instructions

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Mix Dry Ingredients. Whisk together sorghum flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour and salt.

Add Butter. Slice cold butter and rub it into the flour mixture until crumbly with some large butter pieces.

Incorporate Eggs and Bring Dough Together. Make a well in the centre, add one whole egg and one egg white, and mix until the dough comes together. Knead for 2 minutes until smooth. Wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Roll Out. Roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to about 5mm thick. Fit it into a baking tin, trim the edges, and freeze for 10 minutes.

Blind Bake. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan assisted / gas mark 5 / 375°F. Line the pastry with parchment and fill with baking beans, then bake for 25 minutes. Remove the beans, brush the crust with the leftover egg yolk from earlier, and bake for another 5 minutes.

Treacle Filling. Warm golden syrup, black treacle, and a pinch of salt. Whisk in double cream and egg, then stir in breadcrumbs, pecans, lemon juice, and zest.

Fill and Bake. Pour the golden syrup mixture into the baked pastry crust. Bake at 180°C for 35-40 minutes until the filling sets.

Cool and Serve. Allow the tart to cool in the tin before slicing and serving.

Expert Tips

Pastry Dough. For tips on preparing the pastry dough then visit the original post >>> The Best All-Butter Pastry.

Blind Baking. It’s important to blind bake the pastry case and I find this gives the best results. The filling is incredibly wet and so if we don’t blind bake and seal the pastry crust before pouring it in then the filling could leak through and give the pastry a soggy bottom. Or worse – completely collapse the pastry so it all disintegrates when removed from the oven!

Extra Pastry. If you find you have a little more pastry than you need when you are trimming the excess away from the pastry case then don’t throw it. I will use this little extra to make either a few jam tarts for my children which can be baked at the same time as the blind baking, or cheese straws.

Oven Position. Bake the tart in the middle shelf of the oven for even baking.

It's Ready When.. When you remove the tart from the oven it may have just a hint of a wobble in the very centre and the pastry will be golden brown.

Cool Completely. This tart is best enjoyed fully cooled to room temperature so that the filling has a chance to set.

More Gluten-Free Pie and Tart Recipes

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This classic Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie is an absolute showstopper. The smooth creamy filling is a rich blend of pumpkin, brown butter, condensed milk and spices. Topped with whipped maple cream and encased in the most deliciously flaky all-butter pie crust 

You'll fall in love with the colour of this Gluten-Free Cranberry Cream Tart. It's tangy and fruity with a buttery gluten-free biscuit crust which you can easily make with gluten-free biscuits and topped with whipped cream clouds.