Gypsy Tart (Newfoundland)

canadian-newfoundland-gypsytart It’s pie magic. A recipe that’s surprising in its simplicity. The easy filling uses just a few common ingredients to produce a tempting Dulce de Leche flavoured custard.

Pastry:
¼ cup butter, very cold, cut into small cubes
¼ cup vegetable shortening, cut into small cubes (I keep shortening in the freezer to use in pastry)
1¼ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
¼ tsp. sea salt
3-4 Tbsp. water, ice cold, enough to make a dough form.

Filling:
2 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed (370 g)
1½ cups evaporated milk, undiluted, very cold preferably chilled overnight (360 mL)
½ cup whipping cream, very cold (120 mL)
1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (5 mL)

Prepare the Pastry:
Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter and shortening into flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter and shortening should still be visible.

Pour cold water over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible.

Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

Roll the dough into a 12-14” round and place in the bottom of a 10” pie plate.

Push the dough edges down the sides, being careful not to stretch the dough at all. Crimp the edge of the dough however you like.

Blind Baking:
You will need to blind bake this bottom crust before adding the filling. Blind baking is essential so that the bottom crust will not get soggy.

To blind bake a crust simply place a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the dough and cover the bottom of the pie plate with baking weights. (Marbles, dry beans, peas, rice or barley work just as well as anything else.)

Bake at 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5) for about 15 minutes.

Remove baking weights and parchment (or foil) and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Remove crust from oven and let cool for a few minutes while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the Filling:
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4)

Add all of the ingredients to a chilled metal or glass bowl.

Beat with an electric mixer until very foamy, about 20-25 minutes.

Pour into baked pastry shell.

Bake for 25 minutes. The filling will still be wobbly at this point, this is normal.

Cool the baked tart on a wire rack until it reaches about room temperature

Chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight to let the filling completely set.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries if you like.

Makes 12.

Cook’s Notes:

In the UK, Gypsy Tart is almost always made with a sweet shortcrust pastry. However, because the filling is so sweet and rich, I thought that regular unsweetened flaky pastry, like I use in our famous Butter Tarts Recipe, would be a better choice. I saw no reason to add additional sweetness to the crust.
That being said, there’s no reason not to use a shortcrust pastry if you prefer. Many bakers find that pastry easier and more forgiving, so that’s a good enough reason to use it too.