Mince Pie Panettone Treacle Tart
This mince pie panettone treacle tart is a festive twist on the British classic! There’s crisp pastry, boozy mincemeat & a gooey treacle filling.
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A really good treacle tart is easily one of my favourite desserts & I’m also a huge fan of making & eating mince pies at Christmas, so this mince pie treacle tart just makes sense! Here, I’ve taken a classic treacle tart, added a generous amount of homemade mincemeat into the bottom of the tart case & swapped out the breadcrumbs in the filling for panettone crumbs.
I’ve been making a version of this tart for several years now but I’ve finally got it perfected! It’s surprisingly simple to make & is a fantastic alternative to Christmas pudding. There’s a couple of handy tricks included as well, that really elevate this classic British dish (think sour cream in the filling, to tone down all that sweetness!).
A Festive Treacle Tart
This Christmas treacle tart combines a classic treacle tart with a festive mince pie. It’s the best of both! There’s a crisp, buttery pastry case, a layer of boozy homemade mincemeat & a sticky, fudgy treacle filling. It’s sweet, rich, packed full of festive flavours & can be made several days in advance, so makes a great dessert to serve at Christmas gatherings.
Serve this festive treacle tart with a generous amount of warm custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream & you’re onto a real winner!
For more festive desserts to try, take a look at our collection of Christmas desserts! There’s lots to choose from here, from deep fried mince pies, homemade Christmas ice creams, Christmas pudding & more. And for more treacle tart recipes to try, take a look at our cake crumb treacle tart & brown butter & miso treacle tart.
What You’ll Need
- Sweet Pastry – We’re making a sweet shortcrust pastry for this treacle tart. For this, you’ll need plain flour, icing sugar, butter, salt, egg yolks & vanilla.
- Mincemeat – I used my homemade mincemeat for this treacle tart but a good, shop bought one will work as well!
- Panettone – A classic panettone (made with dried fruit) works best for this recipe. I wouldn’t recommend using a pistachio or chocolate one, for example.
- Syrups – Syrup is a key ingredient in a treacle tart! I like to use a mix of both golden syrup & black treacle, for the best balance of flavours.
- Sour Cream – Using sour cream instead of double cream, adds a touch of tanginess to the filling which cuts through the sweetness from the syrups. Make sure to use a full fat sour cream, for the richest flavour.
- Eggs – You’ll need a large egg for the filling, plus an extra yolk for richness.
- Lemon – We’re using lemon zest & juice in the treacle tart filling. Again, this is to cut through the sweetness.
- Salt – A good pinch of sea salt enhances the flavours in the filling.
How To Make Mince Pie Panettone Treacle Tart
The full, printable recipe card for this treacle tart can be found at the bottom of this post! Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe…
You’ll need a 9″ tart case for this recipe. Make sure to use one that’s 2″ deep!
Sweet Pastry
Homemade sweet pastry is surprisingly easy to make & takes our treacle tart to another level! This stuff’s crisp, buttery & flavoured with some really good vanilla. Here’s how to make it from scratch!
- In a bowl, mix plain flour, icing sugar & salt together then rub in cold butter, until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add in egg yolks & vanilla paste then mix, to form a rough dough.
- Gently knead the pastry, until smooth then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Roll the pastry out into 3-4mm thick circle then press into a 9″ tart tin (don’t worry about trimming off the excess pastry, we’ll do this once the pastry has been blind baked).
- Prick the base with a fork then chill the tart case in the fridge, for another 2 hours (at least!).
Blind Baking
Blind baking our tart case, ensures that the pastry is fully cooked once our tart filling has been baked. Blind baking also prevents the filling making the pastry soggy, keeping it nice & crisp!
I like to blind bake my tart cases at a slightly higher temperature, which sets the pastry quicker, preventing the pastry from shrinking. I also find that you get a neater finish if you trim the excess pastry after blind baking the tart case (using a veg peeler!). In order to make a crisp tart case, it’s key to get the blind baking right! Here’s how…
- Line the inside of your pastry case with a scrunched up piece of baking parchment then fill with ceramic baking beans (or dried beans, rice or lentils).
- Bake the pastry case at 180°c/356°f for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are set & the pastry is starting to turn golden brown.
- Remove the baking beans & parchment then bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown all over.
- Brush the base of the pastry case with a light layer of egg yolk then leave to cool. The excess heat from the pastry will set the egg yolk.
- Once cool, use a vegetable peeler to trim the excess pastry level with the top of the tin.
Mince Pie Panettone Treacle Tart Filling
This festive treacle tart filling is soft, gooey & full of boozy mincemeat & rich panettone crumbs! There’s a generous layer of homemade mincemeat on the bottom of the tart & a the treacle tart filling is baked on top, creating two distinct layers that work perfectly together.
I find that some treacle tarts can be almost be cloyingly sweet, due to the high amount of sugar in the filling. To get around this, I like to use sour cream instead of double cream, for a subtle tangy flavour that cuts through all that sweetness. I also add in a good pinch of sea salt & some grated lemon zest, for the same reason.
- First, place the panettone into a food processor & blend into coarse crumbs. Set this aside for now.
- Add golden syrup, black treacle, sea salt, lemon zest & juice into a large pan then set it over a low heat. Warm the syrup up until it is runny but not too hot.
- Take the pan off the heat & whisk in the sour cream, followed by the egg & yolk. Switch to a spatula & stir in the panettone crumbs.
- Next, spoon mincemeat into the bottom of the tart case then spread out into an even layer, making sure to completely cover the bottom of the tart.
- Pour the filling into the tart case then bake for 35-40 minutes, until it is set with a slight wobble.
- Let the treacle tart cool then chill in the fridge, to set completely, before cutting into portions.
Tips & Tricks
- Chill your pastry case in the fridge overnight before blind baking, to prevent shrinkage in the oven.
- Blind bake your tart case, for crisp, golden pastry.
- Use panettone crumbs in the filling, for a rich, festive flavour!
- Use sour cream in the filling, instead of double cream for a subtle tangy flavour that cuts through the sweetness from the syrup.
- Bake the treacle tart until it’s set, with a slight wobble. It will firm up slightly as it cools.
- Let your tart set completely in the fridge before slicing, for the cleanest portions.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the tart into portions, warming it under warm water & drying between cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Panettone is a sweet Italian bread that’s enriched with butter & eggs and is often flavoured with candied peel & dried fruit. Panettone has a light, delicate crumb & tends to be eaten at Christmas.
You’ll know when your panettone treacle tart is cooked because the filling will be set but will still have a slight wobble. The filling will take around 35 minutes to cook at 160°c/320°f.
Once cooked, panettone treacle tart needs to be chilled in the fridge until it is completely set before being cut into portions. This will take a few hours at least but an overnight chill is best. Cut into your treacle tart too soon & the filling will be soft & runny still and you won’t be able to cut neat slices.
Treacle tart can be warmed up either in a microwave or in a low temperature oven. Be careful not to overheat the tart though as the filling can become runny. 20-30 seconds in a microwave will do the trick!
Treacle tart should be stored in the fridge once cooked & is best eaten within 3 days. Unfortunately, treacle tart isn’t really suitable for freezing.
How To Cook Treacle Tart In An Aga
With all of my recipes, I include cooking instructions for conventional ovens, fan ovens & also Agas. Here’s how to cook this recipe in an Aga…
Blind bake the tart on the bottom set of runners in the roasting oven. Bake the filling in the baking oven, on the bottom set of runners.
Equipment Used
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More Christmas Recipes To Try!
- Deep Fried Mince Pies
- Individual Christmas Baked Alaskas
- Baileys Gingerbread Loaf Cake
- Guinness Christmas Pudding
- Christmas Pudding & Brandy Butter Ice Cream
- Baileys Vanilla Rice Pudding
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Mince Pie Panettone Treacle Tart
Equipment
- 9" Tart Tin
- Rolling Pin
- Ceramic Baking Beans
- Food Processor
- Saucepan
- Baking Tray
- Veg Peeler
Ingredients
Pastry
- 250 g Plain Flour
- 160 g Unsalted Butter (Chilled & Cut Into Small Pieces)
- 80 g Icing Sugar
- ½ tsp Table Salt
- 45 g Egg Yolk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
- 1 Egg Yolk (Lightly Beaten, For Blind Baking)
Filling
- 300 g Panettone
- 325 g Golden Syrup
- 75 g Black Treacle
- 1 Lemon (Zested)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- 150 g Sour Cream
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 350 g Mincemeat
Instructions
Pastry
- Sift the flour, icing sugar & salt into a mixing bowl then add in the butter. Rub in with your fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs with some large pieces of butter still visible.
- Stir together the egg yolk & vanilla then add to the flour.
- Mix until the pastry starts to come together then tip out onto a clean work surface & gently knead until you have a smooth dough (be careful not to overwork). Flatten the pastry into a disc then wrap in clingfilm & chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Next, place the chilled pastry onto a lightly floured work surface & roll out into a circle with a thickness of 3mm-4mm.The pastry needs to be at least an inch wider than your tart case. I like to let the pastry sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before rolling, as it will become more pliable & easier to work with.
- Pick the pastry up using a rolling pin, drape over the tart tin & carefully mould into the tin. Using some of the overhanging pastry, rolled into a ball to press the pastry into the sides of the tin works best.Don't worry about trimming the excess pastry off, we'll be doing this after blind baking.
- Prick the base with a fork then chill the pastry case in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours but overnight is best.
Blind Baking
- Preheat an oven to 180°c/160°c fan (356°f/320°f).
- Take a large piece of baking parchment, scrunch it up then place inside your pastry case. Fill the parchment with baking beans (or raw rice) then bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the pastry case is starting to turn golden brown & the edges have set.Make sure to bake the tart on a tray, to catch any excess pastry. Be careful not to remove the parchment too early, as this can cause the pastry to tear.
- Remove the baking beans & parchment & return the case to the oven & cook until the pastry is a light golden brown all over. This will take 5-10 minutes.
- Once baked, brush the base of the pastry case with the egg yolk then set to one side, to cool.The excess heat in the pastry will set the egg yolk.
- Once cool, use a veg peeler to trim the sides of the pastry case level with the top of the tin. Discard any excess pastry.I find it best to make the filling as the pastry cools then trim it just before filling.
Filling
- Turn your oven down to 160°c/140°c fan (320°f/285°f).
- Place the panettone into a food processor, blitz into coarse crumbs then set to one side.
- Next, place the golden syrup, black treacle, lemon zest & juice and salt into a large saucepan then set over a low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the syrup is runny but not hot.
- Take the pan off the heat & whisk in the sour cream, followed by the egg & yolk. Switch to a spatula & stir in the panettone crumbs.
- Next, spoon the mincemeat into the bottom of the tart case then spread out into an even layer.Make sure to completely cover the base with the mincemeat.
- Pour the filling into the tart case then bake for 35-40 minutes, until set with a slight wobble.
- Once cooked, let the tart cool in the tin to room temperature then place in the fridge to set fully (overnight is best).
- To portion, carefully remove the tart from the tin & cut into 10 equal pieces, using a hot, clean knife for each cut (running the knife under hot water & drying off between cuts works best).
Wow, what a creative combination of festive treats! I never would have thought to blend mince pies, panettone, and treacle tart into one dessert, but it sounds absolutely genius. I can imagine how the rich, syrupy treacle pairs beautifully with the fruity notes from the mince pie and panettone—definitely a showstopper for the holiday table!
Your description of the textures and flavors really brought this recipe to life. It’s clear you put a lot of thought into balancing the ingredients. The addition of the crust tip was also super helpful—crusts can be so tricky to get just right!
Thanks!