Cornflake Tart

It’s a nostalgic treat commonly served at schools across the UK.

slice of cornflake tart on a plate and in the background, the rest of the tart on a plate

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

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 U.K. 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.

Cornflake tart (part of it sliced and missing a piece) on a plate

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

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.
Cornflake tart (part of it sliced and missing a piece) on a plate and in the background, a slice on a small plate

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

British Classics

Cornflake Tart

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 32 mins
Total Time 62 mins
Servings 10 servings
Yield 1 (9 or 10-inch) tart
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry

  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup (28g) powdered sugar

  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and diced into 1-inch cubes

  • 4 tablespoons cold water

For the filling

  • 2/3 cup (200g) raspberry jam

  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter

  • 1/3 cup (104g) golden syrup

  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 4 cups (150g) cornflakes

Method

  1. 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.

    cubes of cold butter added to food processor with the flour-sugar mixture for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    shortcrust dough in the food processor for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

  2. 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.

    shortcrust pastry rolled into a large circle using a rolling pin for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    shortcrust rolled onto a rolling pin for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

  3. 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.

    shortcrust pastry added and shaped into a tart pan for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    rolling pin rolled edges of tart pan to create clean tart edges for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    shortcrust pastry in the tart pan (after excess is cut off edges) for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

  4. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

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

  5. 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.

    Simple Tip!

    if you plan on serving the tart several hours later, or even a day after baking, brush the inside of the crust with egg white after removing the pie weights and before putting it back in the oven. This creates a barrier that prevents the crust from getting soggy from the jam.

    parchment paper and uncooked rice over the chilled tart crust in tart pan for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    fully baked tart shell (after second bake) on cooling rack for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    blind baked crust in tart pan on a cooling rack for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

  6. 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.

    bowl of cornflakes mixed with golden syrup for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

  7. 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.

    jam added to shortcrust tart shell (still in pan and on cooling rack) for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    cornflakes added to tart (over the jam) for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

  8. 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.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    cornflake tart cooling on the wire rack after final bake for cornflake tart recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    cornflake tart slice (close-up)

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
327 Calories
12g Fat
54g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 327
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 166mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 5mg 25%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 72mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.