Cornflake Tart

Cornflake tart is a nostalgic old-fashioned school pudding familiar to anybody in Britain who endured school dinners during their childhood. Lovers of cornflake jam tart will be pleased to know that it is very easy to make at home.

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If like me, you grew up and went to school in the 1970s and 1980s, you most likely endured or even occasionally enjoyed school dinners. And it’s quite possible that you might well remember cornflake tart rather fondly. A slice of sweet treacle cornflake tart with copious amounts of custard was definitely one of the highlights of school dinners for me. It’s such a kid-friendly dessert.

And the good news is that this old-fashioned school pudding can easily become a modern-day reality in your own kitchen. My old school cornflake tart is a simple and easy-to-make school pudding recipe that is guaranteed to deliver a touch of fond nostalgia to your dinner table.

What is school cornflake tart?

It’s pretty unforgettable, but for those of you who need reminding what school dinner cornflake tart is, then picture this:

• A crisp shortcrust pastry shell.
• A layer of strawberry or raspberry jam.
• And a generous topping of crunchy cornflakes tossed in golden syrup and butter.

Cornflake tart is sweet and sticky… so very sweet and sticky. Now you’re with me!

Alternative names for this old-fashioned school pudding include corn flake tart, cornflake pie, treacle cornflake tart, cornflake jam tart & cornflake and jam tart.

Where does old school cornflake tart come from?

Cornflake jam tart is often associated with the North of England, but there’s no definitive proof that this is where it originated. As for when it was invented, it’s been knocking around since the 1940s, if not before, but this pudding was in its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s. That was primetime for me and school dinners.

Have you seen my recipes for cornflake slices, date slices and Australian crunchie? They make great use of cornflakes too. And if you like jammy puddings don’t miss my coconut tart, jam sponge pudding or my recipe for Buxton pudding. They are all jammy delights. Finally, if it’s school dinner nostalgia you’re on the look out for, don’t miss out on my old school sponge cake recipe.

What makes this easy cornflake tart recipe extra special?

There are a number of reasons why this classic school pudding recipe is so popular:

• Texture – there is so much to get your teeth around in this classic British pudding. Crispy pastry, sticky jam and those crunchy cornflakes all add up to a texture explosion.
• Taste – this is the pudding for anybody with a sweet tooth. Old school corn flake tart is full of retro childhood sweetness, there is absolutely no denying it.
• Appearance – those golden cornflakes nestled in the shortcrust pastry shell allude to a slice of nostalgic fun.
• Purse friendly – making this dessert won’t break the bank.
• Kid-friendly – children will love to help make and devour this retro school pudding (especially if you have happy memories of your school days to sprinkle into conversation whilst you’re baking together).

Aside from all of these tempting attributes, there is a particular reason why my treacle cornflake tart recipe is the one to make: it includes fresh raspberries. It’s not part of the traditional recipe, but this modification lifts the dessert entirely.

Classic treacle cornflake tart is incredibly sweet. However, the raspberries add a burst of freshness that helps to tone down the sweetness of the jammy and treacly contents of this retro tart. It’s a terrific addition to the classic recipe resulting in the ultimate corn flake tart. Of course, purists can leave them out and go with the old-fashioned school dinner cornflake tart (but they will miss out).

Ingredients

Cornflakes: these are an integral part of this recipe, so I’m going to be upfront with you. I am a certified cornflake snob. Only Kellogg’s cornflakes will do. They are so much more crispy, crunchy and somehow tastier than any own brand I’ve had the misfortune to taste. Sorry. However, feel free to have an opposing view and go with your favourite brand instead (at your peril).

Golden Syrup: accept no substitutions here. No honey. No maple syrup. No agave. Golden syrup has a unique quality about it, delivering a very mellow, sweet and sticky flavour with butterscotch undertones. It’s exceedingly British and well worth every penny you spend on it.

Please do not consider substituting black treacle for it as this is an entirely different product that is highly delicious but entirely unsuitable for this treacle cornflake tart.

Sugar: note that caster sugar is required for the shortcrust pastry case and light brown sugar is needed for the syrupy cornflake topping of this nostalgic tart. The latter adds an extra depth of flavour to those sticky flakes of cereal.

Butter: assuming there are no dietary requirements preventing the use of butter, this is the best option for the fullest flavour in both the pastry and the cornflake topping. If you need to go dairy-free with the fat then add in ⅛ teaspoon salt to both the pastry and topping mixture.

Jam: it’s really debatable as to whether the school cornflake pie recipe stipulates strawberry jam or raspberry jam. However, since I’m advocating the use of raspberries to tone down the sweetness of this recipe for cornflake pie, I’m recommending raspberry jam.

You can, of course, sit on the fence by mixing the two – use fresh raspberries and blend with strawberry jam (why have I only just thought of that?). Whatever flavour jam you pick, go for the best quality you can afford and aim for one with at least a 50% fruit content for the best of fruity flavours.

Raspberries: these are entirely optional. They are by no means part of the classic cornflake jam tart recipe but, in my opinion, they do make this recipe so much better, especially for adult palettes. Leave them out if you want to stay strictly old-school.

How to make cornflake tart

1. Put the flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl and stir.
2. Rub in the butter.
3. Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolk along with 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water. Beat them briefly to combine then use a blunt knife to mix them into the flour mixture.

4. Use your hands to push the mixture together to form a dough.
5. Knead briefly on a lightly floured worktop until smooth (30 seconds).
6. Shape into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
7. Roll the pastry out to a thickness of 2-3mm and use it to line an 8-inch tart tin. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.
8. Line the pastry with parchment paper, fill to the top with dried pulses (e.g lentils and small beans) and bake for 20 minutes at 180C/ 350F/ GM4.
9. Turn the heat down to 160C/ 310F/ GM 2 ½, remove the beans and parchment and bake for a further 20 minutes.

10. If including fresh raspberries, roughly chop them, sieve 1 teaspoon of flour over them and cook, stirring constantly, until the fruit breaks down and turns jammy as the juice evaporates.
11. Remove from the heat, stir in the raspberry jam and set aside.
12. Now melt the butter, golden syrup, sugar and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Do so gently, allowing the sugar to dissolve.
13. Stir in the cornflakes, mixing until they are all covered in the syrupy sauce.
14. Spoon the jammy mixture over the bottom of the pastry case and top with the cornflakes, spreading them out (no need to press them down too firmly though).
15. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cornflakes just begin to take on a little colour.
16. Let your cornflake pie cool for around 45 minutes before slicing into it.

Expert tips

This nostalgic old-fashioned school cornflake tart recipe is easy but there are a few tips and tricks to get the best result:

• Use digital scales and gram measurements as it’s the most accurate way to measure ingredients (the cup measuring system is incredibly imprecise, so I do not recommend it.
• It is essential to pre-cook the fresh raspberries and combine them with the jam if you are using them. Do not just scatter them on top of the jam as, during baking, they will emit juice which will turn the tart soggy.
• Feel free to use readymade shortcrust pastry if you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own. You’ll need around 300g for this recipe.
• When making the pastry use cold butter to ensure that the pastry does not get too warm. It will be much easier to handle as a result.
• Dark metal heavy baking tins are better at absorbing heat than light-coloured tins, so your pastry will bake better, reducing the risk of a soggy bottom.
• The dough must be chilled before rolling out and again once the tin has been lined with it. Pastry that has not been chilled will, most likely, shrink significantly.
• Blind baking the pastry case is essential to avoid a soggy-bottomed tart.
• Put a baking sheet into the oven whilst it is heating up then sit the tart tin directly onto it whilst the pastry is blind baking and again when the filling has been added. This technique allows direct heat to get to the base of the tart which also helps to reduce the risk of a soggy bottom.
• Pick the best quality jam that you can afford. Look at the fruit content of the jam and select the one with the highest amount of fruit per 100g of jam – aim for at least 50%.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

Fancy ringing the changes on your cornflake jam tart? Here are my musings:

• Omit the raspberries – go totally old-school and leave out the fresh raspberries – add in an extra 1-2 tablespoons of raspberry jam though… and perhaps prepare for toothache.
• Strawberry jam – use it instead of raspberry jam (even if including the fresh raspberries – they’re a match made in heaven).
• Add almonds – thinking of changing cornflakes for crunchy nut cornflakes? Think twice. Crunchy Nut cornflakes are incredibly sweet and I fear that they would be overkill alongside that golden syrup sauce. Be wiser and instead mix 2 tablespoons of flaked almonds into the cornflake topping.
• Desiccated coconut – this would be a worthy addition to this cornflake jam tart. Mix 2 tablespoons into the topping.
• Mini corn flake tarts – use this recipe to make 12-18 mini tarts. Use mince pie sized bun tins and cook for less time (blind bake for around 15 minutes in total, then 10 minutes more once filled).

Serving suggestions

• Custard – cornflake jam tart is best served slightly warm with a generous glug of custard on top. Please forget notions of ice cream or whipped cream. It has to be custard – I’m sure it’s law in the school dinners rule book.
• Pink Custard – if you feel like embracing the inner child who’s buried deep inside of you then douse your slice of cornflake pie with pink custard for some seriously retro school dinner vibes.
• Drinks – a cup of tea or glass of cold milk both make sensible beverage options.

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Have you made this old school cornflake tart recipe? What did you think of it? Please leave a rating and/ or comment below. I always love to hear how my readers get on with my recipes.