Traditional British Cornflake Tart

Jane at Brit & Skillet

Traditional British Cornflake Tart

A nostalgic British school-dinner classic made with crisp shortcrust pastry, a layer of raspberry jam and a sticky golden-syrup cornflake topping. Serve warm with plenty of custard for a proper old-fashioned British pudding.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 15

Total Time 1 5

Servings: 8

Course: Dessert, pudding, Snack

Cuisine: British

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Pastry Base

1 refrigerated unbaked pie crust about 9 ounces (255g), or homemade shortcrust pastry
½ cup raspberry jam 160g

For the Cornflake Topping

4 cups plain cornflakes 120g
⅓ cup golden syrup 115g
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed 50g
4 tablespoons unsalted butter 57g
¼ teaspoon fine salt

For Serving

Warm pouring custard optional but highly recommended

Equipment

9-inch tart pan with removable bottom or shallow pie dish
Rolling pin, if needed
Parchment paper
Pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice
Small saucepan
Large mixing bowl
Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
Cooling rack

Method

Prepare the Pastry

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Fit the pastry into a 9-inch tart pan, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides without stretching it. Trim the excess pastry and prick the base lightly several times with a fork.
Chill the pastry-lined pan for about 15 minutes while the oven finishes heating.

Blind Bake the Tart Shell

Line the chilled pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 12 minutes.
Carefully remove the parchment and weights, then return the pastry shell to the oven for another 5–7 minutes, until the base looks dry and is just beginning to turn golden. Remove from the oven.

Add the Jam

If the raspberry jam is particularly firm, warm it for a few seconds until easily spreadable. Spread the jam evenly over the bottom of the partially baked pastry shell.
Set aside while you prepare the cornflake topping.

Make the Golden Syrup Mixture

Place the golden syrup, brown sugar, butter and salt in a small saucepan. Heat gently over low to medium-low heat, stirring until the butter has melted and the sugar is incorporated. Do not bring the mixture to a vigorous boil.
Remove from the heat as soon as it is smooth and glossy.

Coat the Cornflakes

Place the cornflakes in a large mixing bowl and pour the warm golden-syrup mixture over them.
Using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold until the cornflakes are evenly coated. Try not to crush the flakes.

Assemble and Bake

Spoon the coated cornflakes over the jam layer and spread them gently into an even layer without pressing them down firmly.
Return the tart to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, until the topping is lightly golden and bubbling slightly around the edges.

Cool and Serve

Place the tart on a cooling rack and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing it from the pan and slicing.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
For the proper British school-dinner experience, serve warm slices with plenty of pouring custard.

Notes

Brit & Skillet Tip: Don't crush or firmly pack down the cornflakes. Gently folding and loosely spreading them preserves the craggy, crunchy texture that makes a proper Cornflake Tart so good.

Jam: Raspberry jam is the classic choice, but strawberry jam works beautifully too. Blackberry or another slightly tart fruit preserve can also be used.

Golden syrup: Golden syrup gives Cornflake Tart its characteristic buttery, caramelized flavor. Light corn syrup can work in a pinch, but the flavor won't be quite the same.

Cornflakes: Use ordinary plain cornflakes rather than frosted cereal. The golden-syrup mixture already provides plenty of sweetness.

Pastry: Refrigerated American pie crust is an easy substitute for British ready-made shortcrust pastry. Homemade shortcrust pastry can also be used.

Blind baking: Don't skip this step. Partially baking the pastry before adding the jam helps prevent a soggy bottom.

Pie dish: A 9-inch tart pan produces the traditional shallow tart. A shallow pie dish can be substituted.

Serving: Cornflake Tart is traditionally served warm with pouring custard, although it's also delicious at room temperature when the topping is at its crunchiest.

Storage: Once completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days. Refrigeration is possible but may soften the cornflake topping.

Freezing: Freezing isn't recommended if you want to preserve the crispest cornflake texture.

High altitude: Start with the recipe as written. At higher elevations, watch the pastry during blind baking because it may brown or dry slightly faster.