I grew up in Kent and at school we had a dessert called Gypsy Tart.  I have never seen it anywhere since and most other people don't seem to have heard of it.  Does anyone out there remember it, and if so do you know how to make it please?

I grew up in Thamesmead (LB Greenwich) and we had Gypsey Tart at our school.  A pastry crust with a caramel topping (gooey) sprinkled with little flecks of chocolate.  It was everyones favourite.  It was cut into squares and you always hoped you got the slices in the middle so you didn't have the thick side crust.

Don't know how to make it but I bet it wouldn't taste the same :D

    1       x            400g (14oz) tin of
                         Evaporated milk.
   12       oz           Dark muscovado sugar.
    1       x            10in shortcrust pastry case
                         Pre baked.

   Pre heat oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
   Whisk evaporated milk and sugar together for 10 - 15
   minutes until light and fluffy.  The mix should be
   coffee coloured.  Pour the mix into the pastry case
   and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  The gypsy tart
   will have a slightly sticky surface but will not be
   set completely until it has been left to cool.  Serve
   cold.  Easy!!
 

mmmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMTHAT IS THE BEST DESSERT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE FIX IT FOR ME TO HAVE SOME GYPSY TART PLEASE SEND ME SOME! iM IN SE LONDON...KENT WAY.

IM ON MY KNEES BEGGING! X

I wonder if we have any dinner ladies on here who could tell us if it's still served (or even those with children) not sure if the dinner ladies made it or it came ready prepared but I really want some now :P

I just remember that that was the best dessert going along with Tottenham cake which was the sponge cake with icing and hundreds and thousands! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Thanks for the recipe Julie, I will give it a try!  It was everyone's favourite at our school too!  I don't suppose my own will live up to the memory, but it's worth a try!  No need to beg, blondiflops!  I am sure something can be arranged!!

Gypsy tart was nice, but not as nice as chocolate crunch with chocolate custard - basically a chocolate flavoured shortbread, baked in a tin - really thick and ROCK hard - you had to have custard with it so it didn't shatter and shoot all over the place when you stuck your fork into it..........

I adore gypsy tart, and ASDA sell it. I buy one a week as a treat! Its in the fresh bakery bit. I tastes just like it used to at school. I'm in kent too.

My mum was a school cook for many years and tells me that they used to put breadcrumbs in theirs too.  Somewhere in the archives I have a recipe for Chocolate Crunch but I hated strawberry sauce!

Please would you send me the recipe for chocolate crunch..I havn't had any since my school days,many many years ago,and had completely forgot about this delicious delicacy....mmmmmm.

                                                            Best Regards
                                                                          Chrizze

Please would you send me the recipe for chocolate crunch..I havn't had any since my school days,many many years ago,and had completely forgot about this delicious delicacy....mmmmmm.

                                                            Best Regards
                                                                          Chrizze

E.Mail Add.    chris00311043@yahoo.co.uk

No Maudlily it is not served in my children's schools.  Virtually every desert is prepacked and hardly anything is 'made' by the cooks, just heated up/cooked.

I grew up in Kent too and remember Gypsy Tart although I must be the only one who hated it - it made me feel sick and they made me eat it. :(  It sounds like the one JulieS has given a recipe for, because I don't remember chocolate or caramel in it.
The mention in, another post, of banoffee pie was temptimg me to do serious damage to my post christmas diet - I'm glad to say that the mention of gypsy tart has suppressed my desire for something sweet so thank you :D :D :D

OMG!! ASDA sell it!?? Right that is the first port of call then! I will look tomorrow and see if they have any, if that fails I might be forced to make it myself.  I go to Brighton Marina ASDA, where the gym I go to is also located, so if I do a bit extra at the gym (no perhaps it had better be a LOT extra), then I can allow myself to eat some ASDA gypsy tart! LOL!! ;)

I posted a few weeks back asking for the recipe cos I couldn't get it up here either! Always remember it from school...loved it! Didn't know Asda sold it...will have to have a look.
PS the recipe is good but you need to REALLY whip the mixture till its like thick crean or it won't set.Its also better left over night to cool and set
Archer

this Gypsy Tart sounds wonderful - don't know it coming from Ireland, but I'm going to give it a go.

I live in Kent too, and all the cake shops around here sell Gypsy Tart. Did you used to have it for school dinners pudding served with half an apple. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

If you haven't tried it and have a sweet tooth, you don't know what you're missing. Sorry to all men, but it beats 'you-know-what' hands down. Trust me to lower the tone.

I think gypsy tart must be a Kentish thing, because I grew up there and everyone seems to know of it, but here in Sussex no-one has heard of it.  Worse still I looked in my local ASDA here and there was no gypsy tart to be seen:( Is there anyone outside of Kent who knows of it?

I thought I posted on this yesterday but I can't see my post now!  My mum was a school cook for 20+ years and tells me that they made their gypsy tart with golden syrup and breadcrumbs.  We also have the school recipe for chocolate crunch that I will try to find in my recipe box.

Way back, in the Dark Ages (the '50s ) we used to be served Gypsy Tart once every two or three weeks for School Dinners in Reading (Berkshire) - so it did expand beyond Kent!

Margot

I have the most lovely recipe for chocolate meringue. Its really expensive but one wee slice and your hooked.

It was my grans and ive never had anything like it.

Any choc fiends who want it?

What sort of question is that Julie?! :D Pass it on....................

Cheers

Ohh yes please!!!!

Margot

Make your meringue with three seprate layers, like pancakes

Filling
half pound cadburys choc (no scrimping)
4 oz warm water

Melt choc in water and add 3 egg yolks
When cooled add 1pint double whipped cream and sandwich together in the meringue layers. Sprinkly choc over top.

Put in fridge and then eat.

Totally fab, ur family will luv u, ur friends, u will luv u!

Let me know if anyone  makes it

Has Jacky Jat dug out that recipe for Chocolate crunch as it was great with the pink custard, would like to introduce my kids to it and can't find it anywhere else on the net!

Have written a note for myself to do so.  I'll write lines if I forget!!

School Chocolate Crunch

8oz Butter
6 ½ oz granulated sugar
1 tbsp granulated sugar for topping
3 oz cocoa
10 oz Self Raising Flour
1 egg
Vanilla Essence

Melt the butter in the pan, add vanilla essence.  Mix the sugar, cocoa and flour and add to the fat.  Beat in the egg and press the mixture into a greased tin (10 x 8" approx).  Brush the top with tbsp sugar part dissolved in 2 tsp warm water.  Bake in slow oven 325ºc for 20 mins.

I haven't tried this for ages (but will tomorrow).  I remember the quantities being odd because they were reduced down from 8llb flour, ten eggs, etc!

Of course I should add - serve with rasberry sauce!

You've made my day, chocolate crunch here we come, really appreciate you for digging it out. You must be the only person on the web to have it, if I was you, I would get it marketed and in Asda before tea time!!

So what do you call a pud that is pastry base , jam, then custard and then flaked coconut on top ? That is what I know as Gypsy tart ?

That is from a Staffordshire school dinner experience ? :)

Lucy
xx

GYPSY TART MAKES YOU FART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :-D

Yep, I went to a Kent Junior School, can you tell? ;-) :-D

ooooh, I say, Jessthe pest!! Detention for you!!

Oh jess....now THAT brings back memories!!!! :d
Archer

LJS
its called Manchester Tart I think!
Archer

Thanks Archer :)

Lucy
xx

never had a gypsy tart, but sounds lovely, not sure if our asda will sell it but will have a look. Yes Lucy and archer that is the manchester tart.  mmmmm my favourite.
carol

Ex school cook calling - the gypsy tart was made up from scratch. Shortcrust pastry base, then brown sugar (soft) and evap milk whisked till thick, and gently warmed in the oven.  For those of you in North West Kent area the Plaxtol Bakery shops sell a very good version.  (Shops in and around Sevenoaks).  We also made Manchester tart which I prefered, again pastry base spread with raspberry jam and cooled custard, then sprinkled with dessicated coconut and toasted lightly in the oven - delicious.
Don't start me off on Jamie Olivers latest rants.  We used to have strict nutritional guidelines and served good quality food until the school meals service went out to tender and of course the county councils chose the cheapest option.  I left school cooking then as they wanted me to use all frozen and instant stuff!

I was appalled to read how little money is spent on school dinners. 37p per pupil!!! Who can possibly provide quality food for that sum?

Never heard of gypsy tart sounds scrummy though lol.  My fave at school was chocolate concrete with pink custard and there has NEVER been a tomato sauce like the one at school that was to die for.

Michelle :)

JG - I worked in the school kitchens over 13years ago and we had 30p per meal then, so it hasn't gone up much.  Suprisingly enough I was able to serve good food.  Economies of scale as the more children taking up school meals the easier it was.  A roast dinner would work out about 50-60p per meal so over a two week period I would plan menu's with some cheaper meals to compensate.  eg. a cheese quiche was cheap to make, and serve with a mixed salad and jacket pots.  I did chips once a fortnight as a treat.  We also did 'theme' days such as valentines (heart shaped shortbread), chinese new year, pancakes for pancake day, St. Georges (trad Roast Beef) and 4th July - burgers and shakes.  I tried to involve the children, and I also did a leavers feast for the children leaving in July.  They chose their own menu.  It was hard work but good fun.  I did have a vested interest as my children were pupils at the school!!!

oooh, as an ex school cook, would you happen to know how to make another pud, which was again, a shortcrust pastry, then jam, then a pink marshmallowy topping (but not as sticky), it was the absolute best, and although my mum was a dinner lady, this recipe apparently was top secret and only the top dog was ever aloud to make it!!!!!!

Sorry, not familiar with that one, could it have been meringue on top.  Sounds lovely!

Hrm

Would it work if you made a meringue mix but instead of cooking it slowly in oven thus drying it out, you cooked it over a heat in a pan of water (like you melt chocolate). I seem to recall my mother making a type of american frosting/icing like this and it was very marshmallowy. For the pink bit, just throw in a load of strawberry flavouring and some pink colouring??

Em

Loved hearing about and remembering Gypsy Tart! Yum!  Does anyone have a recipe for Chocolate Flapjack.  Made a bit like Chocolate Crackles but in a large flat pan and cut into fingers to serve.  Also served at a Kentish primary school (Prince's Plain) on Bromley Common a long long long time ago!  Those were the days.

i work in large office building kitchen and gypsey tart is still a fav even now with all our customers of a certain age.

I also  went to school in kent and love Gypsy Tart it is fantastic my kids think i am mad when i go on about it ha ha

> my kids think i am mad when i go on about it ha ha

My kids had it at school (and so did I but differant school!!!) and loved it :) Their school (old school now) borders surrey and kent, in fact the border line runs through it! One side is called surrey building and the other is kent building LOL

I used to work in a bakery and we sold little individual gypsy tarts. They weren't as nice as my Grandma's though. She used to make one big tart and cut it into slices. Perrrfick! :-)

Just noticed - if you type 'gypsy tart' into google, this thread is the fifth result.

i also grew up and went to school in kent.  i now live in florida and finally have the recipe for gypsy tart.  does anyone have the recipe for salad cream.  that was also a staple of school dinners in the summer time?  can not get it here and i think that it was also easy to make.