Manchester Tart is a traditional English recipe (from Lancashire) for a classic dessert of a pastry base topped with jam, raspberries, desiccated coconut, custard and more coconut. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic English dish of: Manchester Tart.
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This is a classic Lancashire pie, served as a dessert of a custard topping on a pastry and jam base that's topped with desiccated coconut and which an adaption of the original Manchester pudding. Typically this is made with raspberry jam, but I prefer the damson jam used in the original Manchester pudding, so I use that here (but you can use raspberry if you like). During the first and second world wars a version of this was made with a meringue topping.
Ingredients:
500g shortcrust pastry
200g damson jam
3 tbsp desiccated coconut
3 tbsp desiccated coconut toasted in a dry frying pan until golden brown
300g fresh raspberries
500ml full-fat milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, seeds scraped out with a knife
5 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2 tbsp icing sugar, to dust
400ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
Method:
Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured work surface until 5mm thick. Use to line a greased 24cm diameter tart tin. Trim the excess and prick the pastry several times with a fork then place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
When the pastry has rested line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or beads. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200°C and bake blind for 15 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Remove the beans and baking parchment and bake for a further 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Spread the ham over the base of the pastry shell in an even layer then sprinkle the (non-toasted) coconut over the top. Add half the raspberries then set the pastry case aside.
Combine the milk, vanilla pod and vanilla seeds in a pan, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes then remove the vanilla pod. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until well combined. Pour the hot milk over the egg and sugar mix, whisking continually until thoroughly combined. Pour the milk mix back into the pan and set over medium heat. Whisk in the cornflour, a tablespoon at a time, until well combined then heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
Transfer the custard mix to a clean bowl (dust with a little icing sugar to prevent a skin from forming) then set aside to cool before chilling in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. After this time whisk the whipped double cream into the chilled custard mixture until thoroughly combined. Spoon the custard and cream mix into the pastry case, adding it in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining strawberries over the top then finish by spooning the toasted coconut over the top. Serve immediately.
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