Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pâte Sablée (Pastry Shell)
- 200 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 100 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 60 g powdered sugar
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 ml ice water
Maple-Walnut Filling
- 300 ml pure maple syrup
- 60 g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 150 g walnuts, halves or roughly chopped
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 eggs, large
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 571 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 69 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 38 g
- Sodium
- 235 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Cholesterol
- 114 mg
- Potassium
- 262 mg
- Calcium
- 88 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 51 mg
- Phosphorus
- 147 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 171 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 24 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk and drizzle in ice water just until the dough clumps together when pinched.
Turn dough onto a clean surface, shape into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter.
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness. Carefully lift and press into the tart pan. Trim edges and freeze for 15 minutes.
Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and paper, then bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom looks dry and pale golden. Reduce oven temperature to 175°C (350°F).
While the shell bakes, spread walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Coarsely chop once cool enough to handle.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Gradually whisk in the maple syrup until smooth. Stir in the fresh breadcrumbs and toasted walnuts.
Pour the filling into the par-baked tart shell. Ensure walnuts are evenly distributed. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly wobbly in the very center.
Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding. The filling will firm up as it cools.
Chef's Notes
- Use fresh breadcrumbs, not dry commercially boxed ones. Pulse slices of crustless white sandwich bread in a processor for the correct soft texture that absorbs the syrup.
- The quality of maple syrup matters immensely here. Grade A Dark (formerly Grade B) provides a robust maple flavor that stands up to the walnuts.
- Serve with a dollop of unsweetened crème fraîche or sour cream to cut through the intense sweetness of the maple.
- If the crust edges brown too quickly during the final bake, cover the perimeter gently with a foil shield.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store loosely covered; crust may soften slightly over time.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze well-wrapped. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.
Reheating: Serve room temperature or warm slightly in a 150°C oven for 5-10 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Filling is runny after cooling
Cause: Underbaked or maple syrup had too high water content
Fix: Refrigerate the tart; it will firm up when cold, though texture may be softer.
Prevention: Ensure the tart bubbles gently in the oven and has only a slight wobble before removing; use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Pastry bottom is soggy
Cause: Blind baking was insufficient or filling leaked
Fix: Bake on the lowest rack of the oven or on a preheated pizza stone for the last 10 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure the bottom is dry and pale golden before adding liquid filling. Patch any cracks in raw dough before baking.
Cultural Context
This tart draws inspiration from the Quebecois 'Tarte au Sirop d'Érable' and traditional English treacle tarts. The use of breadcrumbs as a thickener is a humble, historic technique that creates a unique, custardy texture distinct from pecan or sugar pies, highlighting the harvest flavors of North American autumns.
