Butterscotch Tart

Ingredients

• For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Base
• 115g Cubed Unsalted Butter, cold - straight from the fridge
• 225g Plain Flour
• 75g Icing Sugar
• 1 Large Egg Yolk
• 2 tablespoons Cold Water
• Pinch Salt
• For the Butterscotch Filling
• 175g Unsalted Butter
• 100ml Milk (Full fat cows’ milk is best, but any will work)
• 175g Soft Light Brown Sugar
• 40g Plain Flour
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Chocolate Sprinkles for decoration (optional)

Method

• For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Base

1. Add the plain flour and cold, cubed unsalted butter to a bowl and rub together using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. (This may take a little while. Be patient! If your hands are getting too warm you can run them under the cold tap to help cool them down!)
2. Add in the icing sugar, egg yolk, cold water, and salt. Mix using a fork until the dough starts to come together - if the dough feels too dry to clump together you can sparingly add extra water a tiny amount at a time until the dough forms.
3. Form a ball of dough using your hands, and then flatten the ball to create a disc shape. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. Roll out the dough. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and set aside (still in the cling film) on your countertop for approximately 10 minutes - this will allow it to warm up a little and will help prevent cracking when rolling out the dough. Lightly flour a large piece of baking paper and rolling pin. Unwrap the dough and place on the baking paper. Roll out using firm, even strokes, rolling from the centre outward, turning the dough a quarter turn every few strokes. Roll to the thickness of a £1 coin (⅛inch / 3mm thick) and into a circle that's 12inches (30cm) wide.
5. Add the dough to a 9 inch loose bottom tart tin. Carefully lift and place the rolled dough over a 9 inch loose bottom tart tin. Gently press the dough down so that it fits the shape of the tin - use a rolling pin (rolled over the top of the tin) or a knife to cut off any excess dough. Use your fingertips or a piece of the excess dough to gently press the dough in to the walls of the tart tin. Use a fork to prick holes in the base of the dough (this will allow steam to escape and prevent the dough from puffing up). Chill the dough in the fridge while you wait for your oven to heat.
6. Bake. Heat your oven to 180°C (350°F) standard / 160°C (320°F) fan. Scrunch up a piece of baking paper, place this on top of the pastry, and then pour baking beans (or uncooked rice / lentils) on top - this will help the prevent the pastry from puffing up and losing shape. Blindbake for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and baking paper and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Leave the sweet shortcrust pastry base to cool completely in the tin.

• For the Butterscotch Filling

1. Mix half (50ml) of the milk with the flour until you have a smooth paste. Try to ensure this is as smooth and clump-free as possible. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter with the remaining milk in a saucepan on low/medium heat until the butter has fully melted. Add the sugar and stir until it's fully dissolved - this may take a few minutes. It's important to wait as the butterscotch may be grainy or have an unplesant texture if sugar lumps remain.
3. Slowly add the milky flour paste in to the pan, while stirring constantly. Stir in the vanilla extract, and allow the mixture to gently bubble for 2-3 minutes until it thickens.
4. Take the butterscotch mixture off the heat and set aside for a couple of minutes to cool slightly. Pour the butterscotch in to the sweet shortcrust base and smooth out using a palette knife, or regular butter knife. Top with chocolate sprinkles, if desired, and then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) until set. Once set, slice and enjoy!

Notes

• - Store your Butterscotch Tart in the fridge, where it will last for 1 week!
• - I've provided details to make your own sweet shortcrust pastry, but ready cooked shop-bought pastry cases will also work just as well, and will be a lot quicker!
• - I've used chocolate vermicelli sprinkles (from Sainsbury's) to top my butterscotch tart as this is how it was served in my school, but grated milk or dark chocolate, or other sprinkles would be fun too!