This Manchester tart recipe is a proper British classic made with buttery shortcrust pastry, raspberry jam, smooth custard and toasted coconut. First published by Mrs Beeton in the 1860s as “Manchester Pudding,” it became a school dinner favourite across the UK. This version from the Hairy Bikers serves 8 and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes from start to finish.
I first made this after finding it in the Hairy Bikers’ Mums Know Best cookbook. It reminded me of school dinner puddings, and it has been a regular in our house ever since.
Manchester Tart Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 175g plain flour
- 50g icing sugar
- 90g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 medium free-range egg yolk
- 1 tbsp ice-cold water
For the Custard:
- 4 large free-range egg yolks
- 5 tbsp caster sugar
- 5 tbsp custard powder (or cornflour)
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 750ml whole milk
For Assembling:
- 6 tbsp quality raspberry conserve
- 50g desiccated coconut, lightly toasted in a dry pan
- Glacé or maraschino cherries, to decorate
How to Make Manchester Tart
- Make the pastry: Sift the plain flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Add the chilled, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Beat the egg yolk with the ice-cold water, add to the flour mixture and pulse briefly until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
- Chill and roll: Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface to fit a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Press gently into the tin, trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Chill for another 15 minutes.
- Blind bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Line the chilled pastry with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 25 minutes until the edges are golden. Remove the paper and beans, then return to the oven for 5 more minutes until the base is crisp. Allow to cool completely.
- Mix the custard base: In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg yolks, caster sugar, custard powder and vanilla with 3 tbsp of the milk to form a smooth paste. Heat the remaining milk in a separate pan until just below a boil.
- Cook the custard: Gradually pour the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This takes about 8–10 minutes.
- Assemble the tart: Once the pastry case is cool, spread the raspberry conserve evenly over the base. Pour the custard over the jam and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle with the toasted desiccated coconut and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours until firm. Decorate with glacé or maraschino cherries before serving.
What Makes This Manchester Tart Turn Out Well?
- Keep the pastry cold: Handle the dough as little as possible and chill it twice, once before rolling and once after lining the tin. This prevents shrinking during blind baking.
- Use custard powder for colour: Cornflour works, but traditional custard powder gives the tart its golden colour and that classic school dinner look.
- Stop the custard skin: Press a piece of cling film directly onto the surface of the warm custard as it cools. This keeps it smooth for pouring.
- Add bananas for a school dinner twist: Some Manchester tart recipes include a layer of sliced bananas between the jam and custard. This was a common variation in school canteens during the 1970s and 1980s.
- Get ahead: You can blind bake the pastry case and make the custard a day ahead. Store the custard in the fridge with cling film on the surface, then whisk smooth before assembling.
- Try other British tarts: If you enjoy this, have a go at the Hairy Bikers Treacle Tart for another classic pudding.
What Goes Well with Manchester Tart?
Serve this tart chilled for the cleanest slices. A dollop of double cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream works perfectly alongside it. A drizzle of extra raspberry jam over the top adds a bright finishing touch.
Manchester tart is also a lovely addition to an afternoon tea spread with a pot of strong tea or coffee. For the best texture, chill for at least 2 hours before slicing.
How Should You Store Manchester Tart?
Keep the tart in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Freezing is not recommended because the custard becomes watery and grainy when thawed. If you add bananas, eat it on the same day as the slices will brown.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Total Fat: 13.6g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3g
- Protein: 5.5g
- Total Carbohydrate: 33.3g
- Dietary Fibre: 1.3g
- Sugars: 18.4g
- Salt: 0.1g
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different jam for Manchester tart? Raspberry jam is traditional, but strawberry or apricot work well too. Use a good quality conserve that holds its shape rather than a runny jam.
Why did my custard turn lumpy? This happens when the hot milk is added too quickly or the mixture is not stirred constantly. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring into the tart case to fix it.
Do you put bananas in a Manchester tart? It is optional, but many school canteen versions from the 1970s and 1980s included sliced bananas between the jam and custard. The original Mrs Beeton recipe does not include them, so it comes down to personal preference.
What is the difference between Manchester tart and Bakewell tart? Manchester tart has a custard filling topped with coconut and cherries, while a Bakewell tart uses a frangipane (almond sponge) filling instead. Both share a shortcrust pastry base with a layer of jam underneath.
Can I use shop-bought custard instead of homemade? You can, but the texture will be softer and less firm when set. If using ready-made custard, choose a thick variety and chill the tart for at least 3 hours before slicing.
You May Also Like:
- Hairy Bikers Bakewell Tart Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Treacle Tart Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Easy Tarte Tatin Recipe
Hairy Bikers Manchester Tart Recipe
Description
This Manchester tart recipe from the Hairy Bikers has a buttery shortcrust pastry base, raspberry jam, smooth custard and toasted coconut. A classic British pudding that serves 8 and takes just over an hour to make.
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
For the Custard:
For Assembling:
Instructions
- Make the pastry: Sift the plain flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Add the chilled, cubed butter and pulse until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Beat the egg yolk with the ice-cold water, add to the flour mixture and pulse until the dough just comes together.
- Chill and roll: Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out to fit a 23cm tart tin, press into the tin, trim the edges and prick the base. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Blind bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Line with baking paper and baking beans. Bake for 25 minutes, remove the beans and bake for 5 more minutes until crisp. Cool completely.
- Mix the custard: Combine the egg yolks, caster sugar, custard powder and vanilla with 3 tbsp milk to form a paste. Heat the remaining milk until just below a boil.
- Cook the custard: Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Assemble: Spread the raspberry conserve over the cooled pastry base. Pour the custard over the jam and smooth the top. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and chill for at least 2 hours. Decorate with cherries before serving.
