Cornflake Tart Is the British Classic You Need To Make

Coming from different countries, my husband and I have an international group of friends and a steady stream of visitors from all over. While a British American couple visited us recently, we found ourselves in a fun conversation comparing our school days in the U.S., U.K., and the Netherlands—whether we brought lunch or had it at school, what school lunches were like... that sort of thing.

Growing up in the U.K., our friend Ravi’s most memorable school lunch treat was a cornflake tart. Ravi’s American wife, my Dutch husband, and I had never heard of it and couldn’t fathom what a tart with cornflakes could be like. Imagine a jam tart topped with a layer of chewy and crunchy golden syrup-coated cornflakes—what’s not to like?

I had to try it out for myself. It’s incredibly easy to make, taking just an hour from start to finish. 

What Is Cornflake Tart?

A cornflake tart is a nostalgic dessert from the UK made with a crisp shortcrust pastry filled with raspberry or strawberry jam and crunchy cornflakes coated in golden syrup piled on top. The whole tart goes back in the oven to toast the cornflake topping before serving.

It’s so easy to make that Ravi said it’s a classic lesson in British home economics classes. The simple components also made it easy for schools to scale up and serve for school lunches or for kids to help make for school bake sales. It’s sometimes paired with a rich custard sauce.

What Is Golden Syrup?

Golden syrup is a staple of British baking, used to sweeten and flavor everything from cakes to cookies to pancakes. It’s a byproduct of sugar processing with a similar appearance and consistency to honey but a sweet caramel and buttery flavor.

You can often find it in the baking aisle of the grocery store or with the British goods. It’s also available online. If you can’t find it, honey is the best substitute both for flavor and consistency.

Substitutions and Variations

If you can’t find golden syrup, or if you want to explore flavors outside of the classic cornflake tart, here are a few tips to inspire your adventures:

• The best substitute for golden syrup is light-colored honey. 
• Use flavored cornflakes, like crunchy nut or chocolate cornflakes. Or try another cereal altogether.
• Add 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts or shredded coconut to the cornflakes. For even more flavor, toast the nuts or coconut first at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
• Use a different type of jam. Raspberry and strawberry are the classics, but that shouldn’t stop you from using your favorite jam.

British Classics

• English Toad-in-the-Hole
• Bubble and Squeak
• Welsh Rarebit
• Flapjacks

Make the shortcrust pastry:

In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the diced butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Pour in the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, just until the dough comes together.

Roll out the dough:

Dust your countertop lightly with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick.

To roll the dough, start at the center and roll outwards to the edges. Rotate the dough as you roll to keep the dough circular and prevent sticking. If the dough starts to stick to the countertop or the rolling pin, lightly dust it with more flour.

Line the tart pan:

Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it into the shortcrust dough. Gently press the dough into a 9 or 10-inch false-bottom tart pan, but avoid stretching the dough to help minimize shrinking while it bakes.

Once lined, use the rolling pin to roll over the edges of the tart pan to cut off the excess dough.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

While the oven preheats, chill the crust in the freezer.

Blind bake the crust:

Once the oven has preheated, remove the crust from the freezer. Take a square of parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the crust and scrunch it into a ball. Unscrunch the parchment and lay it into the crust. Fill the tart shell with pie weights, dried beans, or unbaked rice.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven. Lift the parchment along with the pie weights out of the crust. Return the tart shell to the oven and bake until the crust is matte and starting to brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Set the blind-baked tart shell on a wire rack while you prepare the filling. Don’t turn off the oven.

Make the cornflake filling:

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, golden syrup, brown sugar, and salt, stirring to combine. Or melt the mixture in the microwave in 10-second intervals.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cornflakes and pour over the golden syrup mixture. Gently stir the cornflakes with a rubber spatula to coat them evenly without crushing too many of the cornflakes.

Fill the tart:

Add the jam to the tart shell and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it into an even layer. Add the cornflakes, using the spatula to spread them into an even layer covering all of the jam.

Bake:

Return the tart to the oven and bake until the cornflakes are golden brown, about 7 minutes. Let the tart cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Slice and serve from the tart pan, or carefully release it from the pan onto a serving dish.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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