Spelt flour makes a pastry that crumbles cleanly and carries a mild, wheaty flavour that plain flour doesn’t. It holds together well without over-working, which matters for tarts.
The filling here is straightforward: walnuts, honey, eggs, and a little butter. The honey does the sweetening, so there’s no refined sugar in the whole tart.
It’s the kind of thing you can bake on a Sunday afternoon and serve through the week. The flavours stay balanced whether the tart is warm, room temperature, or cold from the fridge.
Walnuts add a slight bitterness that keeps the honey from tasting flat. Together, the two ingredients give the filling a depth that works as a dessert or alongside strong cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No refined sugar – honey does all the sweetening
- Spelt pastry is forgiving and quick to press in
- Filling sets firm enough to slice cleanly
- Stays good for three days at room temperature
Ingredient Notes
- Spelt flour: Use white spelt flour for a lighter pastry, or whole spelt for more texture and fibre. Wholemeal spelt absorbs slightly more liquid, so add 1-2 tsp cold water if the dough feels dry.
- Honey: A mild, runny honey works best here so it distributes evenly through the filling. Darker honeys like buckwheat add a stronger flavour that pairs well with walnuts.
- Walnuts: Use raw walnut halves and chop them yourself for better texture. Pre-chopped walnut pieces tend to be dry and lose their slight bitterness in the oven.
- Unsalted butter: Cold butter cut into cubes keeps the pastry short. You can substitute coconut oil (solid, not melted) for a dairy-free version, though the pastry will be slightly more crumbly.
- Eggs: The eggs set the filling and prevent it from staying sticky. Use large eggs at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly into the honey mixture.
- Double cream: A small amount of double cream softens the custard set. You can use full-fat coconut cream as a dairy-free substitute with minimal difference to the texture.
Spelt Honey and Walnut Tart
Description
Spelt pastry stays short and nutty after baking, making it a sturdy base for a sticky honey and walnut filling that sets without being heavy.
Ingredients
Spelt Pastry
Honey Walnut Filling
Instructions
Make the Spelt Pastry
- Combine 200 g white spelt flour and 2 tbsp icing sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Add the cold butter cubes and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Add the egg yolk and 2 tbsp cold water. Mix with a fork until the dough just comes together - do not overwork it.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in cling film, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle about 3 mm thick and large enough to line a 23 cm tart tin.
- Lift the pastry over the tin and press gently into the base and sides. Trim any excess. Prick the base all over with a fork.
- Line the pastry with baking paper, fill with baking beans, and blind bake for 15 minutes until the edges look set and pale golden.
- Remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is dry to the touch. Remove from oven and set aside.
Make the Honey Walnut Filling
- Reduce the oven to 180 C / 355 F.
- Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until they smell nutty. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 60 g butter with 150 ml honey. Stir to combine, then remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes - it should be warm but not hot.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the 3 eggs lightly. Pour in the warm honey-butter mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
- Add the double cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and even in colour.
- Fold in the toasted walnuts.
Fill and Bake
- Pour the honey walnut filling into the blind-baked spelt shell. The filling should reach nearly to the top of the pastry edge.
- Bake at 180 C / 355 F for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges and the centre jiggles only slightly when nudged.
- Transfer the tart to a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. The filling firms up fully as it cools.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 390kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 25g39%
- Saturated Fat 10g50%
- Cholesterol 110mg37%
- Sodium 95mg4%
- Potassium 180mg6%
- Total Carbohydrate 36g12%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Sugars 18g
- Protein 8g16%
- Vitamin A 420 IU
- Calcium 45 mg
- Iron 2 mg
- Vitamin D 28 IU
- Vitamin E 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K 4 mcg
- Thiamin 0.2 mg
- Riboflavin 0.2 mg
- Niacin 2 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.2 mg
- Folate 28 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.4 mcg
- Phosphorus 160 mg
- Magnesium 38 mg
- Zinc 1.2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Chill spelt pastry dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling for cleaner edges.
- Do not skip blind baking - the spelt base needs 12 minutes pre-bake to stay crisp.
- Toast walnuts before adding to filling to bring out their natural oils.
- Cool the tart on a wire rack, not in the tin, to prevent the base going soggy.
- Use a tart tin with a removable base for clean presentation when slicing.
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