Gypsy Tart (English)

Gypsy tart is a classic Kentish dessert consisting of a short crust pastry filled with whipped evaporated milk and muscovado sugar. The tart is then baked, topped with powdered sugar and served with an apple (traditionally tart green apple). It can be served either warm or cold. Many believe that the dish was invented by a woman who wanted to feed some malnourished-looking gypsy children with anything she had in her home, so she baked them this tart. Regardless of the inventor, Gypsy tart became so popular that it was a staple of Kentish school menus from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Pastry:
plain flour (300 g)
unsalted butter (150 g)
1 medium egg

Filling:
1 can full fat evaporated milk (410 g)
dark muscovado sugar (280 g)

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Grease a deep, 23-25 cm tart tin with butter.

Make the Pastry:
Sift the flour into a large bowl, rub the cubed butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then add the beaten egg and 1-2 Tbsp. of water to form a ball of dough. Then wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes

Roll out the dough on a floured surface and line the tart tin with it. Leave some excess dough hanging over the edges to trim off later. Line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans, bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, then bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden

Make the Filling:
Mix the evaporated milk and sugar together in a bowl with an electric whisk for 15-20 minutes. It should produce a thick brown foam, and the sugar granules should not be visible.

Assemble:
Carefully pour the mixture into the pastry, bake for 20 minutes. The tart should be sticky on top and not wobbly.

Leave it to cool, then place in the fridge overnight to set.

Serve with a Kentish apple for maximum authenticity.

Makes 8-12 servings.

Alternative:
Once the pastry is ready, remove and turn down the oven to very low - 100°F (80°C), if you have a decent oven thermometer - and wait for it to cool down to temperature.

Pour the filling into the tart case and return it to the cooled oven for 20 minutes. Take out and leave to cool completely before cutting and serving.