Looking for a quick and easy dessert that's sure to impress your family and friends? Look no further than this deliciously Easy Cornflake Tart! Made with shop-bought shortcrust pastry, sweet strawberry jam, and golden syrup, this golden brown beauty is topped with crunchy cornflakes - the ultimate breakfast cereal turned into a mouthwatering dessert.
Whether you're looking for a great way to use up leftover cornflakes or just craving a sweet treat, this cornflake tart is sure to hit the spot. Let's get baking!
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What Is Cornflake Tart All About?
Cornflake tart is a traditional British dessert that has been enjoyed for generations. It is a simple yet delicious dessert made with a buttery shortcrust pastry base, filled with a layer of sweet strawberry jam, and topped with a generous layer of crunchy cornflakes bound together with golden syrup. The tart is then baked until golden brown and served warm or cold, often with a dollop of whipped cream or custard.
While the exact origins of cornflake tart are unclear, it is believed to have originated in the UK in the mid-20th century, likely as a way to use up leftover cornflakes.
Cornflakes were a popular breakfast cereal at the time, and the tart quickly became a staple in British school cafeterias and homes. Today, cornflake tart remains a beloved dessert in the UK, often served as a nostalgic treat that evokes memories of childhood.
While there are many variations of the recipe, the classic combination of sweet jam and crunchy cornflakes remains a constant. If you had this tart as a kid at school, it is sure to take you down memory lane!
Ingredients and Substitutes
A few very basic ingredients make one tasty tart. Here's what you'll need:
- ready-rolled shortcrust pastry: or make your own (ingredients and method below). Note that you will not need the full pack of a standard 375g pack.
- golden syrup: can be replaced by clear honey or corn syrup, but your tart will be slightly sweeter if you choose these options, and obviously, the flavour will be altered. Don't use maple syrup - it's not sticky enough to hold the cornflake mixture together.
- butter: unsalted. If you are using salted butter, skip the salt in this recipe.
- dark brown sugar: we used dark muscovado sugar. You may replace it with soft light brown sugar or caster sugar too.
- salt: we love Maldon sea salt flakes.
- cornflakes: unsweetened.
- strawberry jam: experiment with other types of jam to find your preferred flavour. We like raspberry jam or tart plum jam in this recipe too.
Find the full list of ingredients, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Take your shortcrust pastry out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before you wish to start baking. If you try and unroll fridge-cold pastry, it may crack and tear easily.
2. Unroll the pastry, and, using a rolling tin roll it out a little thinner so that you have it large enough to like your tart tin with a loose base.
3. Line the tart tin with pastry, making sure to push the pastry into the edges and up against the fluted sides. Using a sharp knife, trim the excess pastry hangs to be flush with the top of the tin.
4. Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork and place it in the freezer for 20 minutes.
5. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 160°C Fan.
6. When the pastry has firmed up in the freezer, crunch up a large piece of baking paper in your hands and line the pastry case with it. Place the baking beans on top and place the shortcrust pastry case in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to blind bake.
7. Take the tart out of the oven, lift the beans off together with the baking parchment and return the pastry tart to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes.
8. Set the cooked pastry base aside, whilst you make your cornflake mixture.
9. In a medium pan, melt the butter, golden syrup and sugar together on low heat. Add a pinch of salt. The sugar should dissolve and the mixture should be cohesive, but don't let it bubble.
10. Add the cornflakes and gently mix everything together, making sure every bit is covered.
11. Spread a thin layer of jam onto the base of the pastry with the back of a spoon. Then spoon the sticky cornflake mixture on top of the jam.
12. Return the tart to the oven for 6-8 minutes.
13. Let the tart cool down and firm up before serving.
Why Not Make Your Own Shortcrust Pastry?
If you have some time on your hands, why not make your own shortcrust pastry? We recommend this easy pastry recipe below:
Place 175g of plain flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add 85 g butter, cubed. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs (you can also use a food processor for this). Add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water: just enough to bind the mixture into a dough. Alternatively, add a lightly beaten egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water (egg yolk will make your pastry richer, melt-in-the-mouth texture, but less sturdy). For the best results, knead the pastry just enough to bring it together.
Flatten the pastry dough out a bit (it will make it easier to roll out later), wrap in cling film (we highly recommend Kirkland Signature cling film) and place in the fridge for 20 minutes. You can then roll it out on a lightly floured surface and carry on as you would with a ready-rolled shortcrust pastry.
Alternatively, if you keep a sourdough starter, try this tart with Sourdough Shortcrust Pastry. We don't recommend making a sweet pastry base, as this classic dessert already has heaps of sweetness in it.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, honey is the best option, in my opinion. The flavour is slightly different, but honey is certainly sticky enough to hold the mixture together. You can also try this recipe with corn syrup. Do not use maple syrup though.
Ideally, not. The pastry and cornflakes will start absorbing the moisture from the environment and the tart won't be as crunchy as it should be. We recommend serving this cornflake tart on the day that it is made.
No, unfortunately, it becomes soggy and very sticky after thawing.
Yes! Simply, blind-bake the pastry and follow the recipe as per the method outlined above.
Variations & Dietary Requirements
VEGAN: more often than not, shop-bought shortcrust pastry is actually vegan, so the only thing you will need to replace is the butter. Use vegan butter, or even plant-based margarine in this recipe instead.
GLUTEN-FREE: choose a gluten-free shortcrust pastry, and you are good to go.
DAIRY-FREE: use vegan butter instead.
Here are other variations of this cornflake tart that you may consider:
- Experiment with jam. Whilst we typically make it with strawberry jam, which was traditionally used in an old-fashioned tart served for school dinners), it works very well with sour cherry, raspberry, plum or rhubarb jam. We don't recommend apricot jam thought, as it makes the tart overly sweet.
- Try this tart with Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes instead.
- Scatter the top of the syrupy cornflakes with colourful sprinkles for a festive look
Equipment Needed
sharp knife: to trim the overhanging pastry for the tart case.
loose-bottom tart tin: we used a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed tart tin for this recipe, but you can use a more standard 23cm (9in) one and increase the ingredients by ⅔.
baking beans: ceramic beans can be replaced with uncooked rice to weigh the pastry down.
parchment paper: we highly recommend Bacofoil baking parchment - it's sturdy and lasts forever!
large saucepan: to make the filling in.
rubber spatula: is great for mixing the cornflake filling, as the sticky caramel doesn't stick to it as much.
rolling pin (only needed if you are making your own pastry, or using shop-bought pastry block (not ready-rolled pastry).
What To Serve With Cornflake Tart?
The traditional way to serve this easy cornflake jam tart is with a generous amount of hot custard. But if you want to make something vibrant and fun, why not try it with pink custard? Alternatively, try the tart warm with heavy cream, whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage and Leftovers
This easy Cornflake Tart recipe is at its best when enjoyed on the same day that it is made. The cornflake filling is crunchy, the pastry is crisp and the whole tart is just delicious.
However, if you have leftovers, you may store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Simply make sure the tart has cooled down before placing it in a container. Enjoy it within 2 days for the best flavour and texture.
Other Classic English Dessert Recipes
If this school-days Cornflake Tart sparked your interest and you would like to try other classic English desserts, have a look at some of our favourite recipes below:
- Sticky Toffee Pudding with Ginger
- Mincemeat Bakewell Tart (Christmas Frangipane Tart)
- Bread and Butter Pudding With White Chocolate
- Charlotte Royal
Easy Cornflake Tart
Equipment
- Baking Beans
Ingredients
- 375 g (0.83 lb) shop-bought shortcrust pastry you will not need the whole pack
- 90 g (¼ cups) golden syrup
- 45 g (1.6 oz) butter
- 20 g (1 heaped tbsp) dark brown sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 75 g (2⅔ cups) cornflakes
- 70 g (¼ cups) strawberry jam
Instructions
Make Pastry Case:
- Take your shortcrust pastry out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before you wish to start baking. If you try and unroll fridge-cold pastry, it may crack and tear easily.
- Unroll the pastry, and, using a rolling pin, roll it out a little thinner so that you have it large enough to line your tart tin with a loose base.
- Line the tart tin with pastry, making sure to push the pastry into the edges and up against the fluted sides. Using a sharp knife, trim the excess pastry hangs to be flush with the top of the tin.
- Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork and place it in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 160° C Fan.
- When the pastry has firmed up in the freezer, crunch up a large piece of baking paper in your hands and line the pastry case with it. Place the baking beans on top and place the shortcrust pastry case in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to blind bake.
- Take the tart out of the oven, lift the beans off together with the baking parchment and return the pastry tart to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes.
- Set the cooked pastry base aside, whilst you make your cornflake mixture.
Make Cornflake Filling:
- In a medium pan, melt the butter, golden syrup and sugar together on low heat. Add a pinch of salt. The sugar should melt and the mixture should be cohesive, but don't let it bubble.
- Add the cornflakes and gently mix everything together, making sure every bit is covered.
Assemble and Bake:
- Spread a thin layer of jam onto the base of the pastry with the back of a spoon. Then spoon the sticky cornflake mixture on top of the jam.
- Return the tart to the oven for 6-8 minutes.
- Let the tart cool down slightly and firm up before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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