Honey tart: Natural sweetness to savour

Golden honey adds a rich taste of the countryside to this rustic tart. A beautifully simple way to elevate this sweet ingredient, crisp, buttery pastry encases a smooth honey-infused filling for a comforting dessert with a touch of elegance. Full of natural flavour, this recipe is a celebration of traditional country cooking at its finest.

Ingredients

Serves 8

165g set honey

350g plain flour

265g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease

1 tsp coarse sea salt, plus extra to garnish

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp cornflour

4 eggs

300g extra thick double cream

squeeze of lemon juice

How to make this honey tart

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Place the flour in a large bowl and chop 175g of the butter into cubes. Add the cubes to the flour and then add half the sea salt and 1 tbsp of the honey. Mix together with a spoon, then using fingers and thumbs, rub the butter into the flour until it reaches the consistency of breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk and 3 tbsp of cold water. Mix together then knead for 1-2 mins to bring together. Wrap with cling film and chill for 20 mins.

On a clean work surface dusted with flour, roll the pastry out to fit a 23cm pie dish. Grease the dish lightly with butter, then line with the pastry, buckling the tops into folds to make a pattern. Chill for a further 15 mins.

Bake the pastry case blind, covered with baking paper and filled with baking beans, in the preheated oven for 5-10 mins. Remove the paper and beans then cook for 5 mins at 180°C/gas mark 4.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining butter and honey until melted, then mix in the cornflour. Take off the heat. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then whisk the butter mixture into them, adding the remaining salt. Whisk in the cream and lemon juice. Fill the pastry case with the mixture, then bake in the oven at 160°C/gas mark 3 for 35 mins, until golden. Allow to cool completely, before sprinkling with extra sea salt to serve.