Gypsy tart(butterscotch meringue)

Can someone tell me where i`m going wrong?
I`ve tried to make this twice and i can`t get the butterscotch to set.
I was flicking through a mag the other day and came across some recepies from school dinners,chocolate pudding and pink custard and such and thought i`d have a go.the ingredients for the gypsy tart are..

1 packet shortcrust pastry Tin of
evaporated milk
350g (12oz) dark brown sugar
(Muscovado) Dash of vanilla essence 40g
(1 1/2 oz sugar 1 egg white
Method
Roll out the pastry on a cold floured board,and line a 250mm diameter tart tin,or rectangular equivalent for authenticity!Prick the pastry with a fork and line with baking paper and dried beans so as to bake blind for 15 minuites in an oven at 180C(350F, gas 4).
Remove from oven and allow to cool.In a saucepan mix together the sugar and evaporated milk,add the vanilla essence combining together.Whisk with a hand-held blender for 15 minuites,This is very important.This makes a butterscotch.Pour the mixture into the pastry shell.
Whisk the egg whites with 40g(1 1/2oz) sugar until fluffy.Pile this onto the butterscotch and sprinkle a little sugar for a crispy top and bake in an oven at 160C(325F, gas 3) for 20 minuites until crisp.
I`ve written it all exactly the way it`s printed in the mag.
My first attempt at home was pathetic and the butterscotch ran out when i cut into it.So i thought next time i`d double up on the sugar as i`d used a large tin of eveaporated milk.
The second time i tried at work and thought i`d cracked it as it looked really thick and i put it in the fridge for half an hour before i cut into it and it was sticky to the touch.But the same thing happened.
I was thinking about adding cornflour like a lemon meringue?But the method seems a bit vague to me(as in it doesn`t say anything about heat when it says to mix in a saucepan) so i didn`t.
Am i just thick? I`m hoping there are some veteran dinner ladies are out there.....:D

 

How long did you cook the mixture for? It seems a bit unclear as to the cooking time.

 

Hello Rhyleysgranny, thank`s for replying.I`d almost given up.
I baked the case blind for 15 minuites,left to cool, then added the mixturelThen added the meringue and back in a cooler oven for 20 minuites.
Your right it is vague but i followed it to a T and still ended up with the butterscotch spilling out all over.:confused::o

Any tips greatly apreciated.

 

I am going to stick this on my cookery forum and see. I googled gypsy tart and the recipes are the same as yours. I then googled butterscotch meringue and the method was completely different in that the filling was cooked in a saucepan first.

 

I'll come back if i get any more info. I am now intrigued. I've never heard of gypsy tart

 

I would have said the filling would have had to be cooked in order to set. There is nothing in there that would cause setting. Cooking it would caramalise the sugar which would allow it to set and produce the buterscotch taste I think.

 

I agree with you Hec. I cannot see how it would set just in the oven. On googleing though it seems to work.
I make choccie frosting with smaller amount of milk and sugar and it has to be boiled for five minutes or so to thicken it:o

 

I have had one or two responses (there will be more so watch this space). So far no-one has made it but one point was made that it doesn't normally have a meringue topping and could that be stopping the oven heat from caremelising the filling.

 

Here is the recipe from a girl who has been making it for years. If she says it works.....it works

She posted the recipe on Nigella.com
Here is the link


http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?article=2681

 

Hi, maybe it should be a small tin of evaporated milk? Wotthink? Jan X

 

Im sure somewhere I started a thread re tomato chutney recipes.
Blowed if I can find it anywhere... So I shall put the one I used here
Moderator.....Sorry if I am confusing folk.
Just made some chutney using a old recipe I found I n a Marguerite Patten cook book.
Looks good but cannot say how the taste is yet.

2Lb Toms, green or red
8 oz sugar
Half teaspoon ginger
Half pint malt vinegar ( I used spiced pickling vinigar)
1 teaspoon of pickling spices ( not if you use spiced picking vinegar)
1 rounded teaspoon mustard powder
8 Oz finally chopped onion
8 OZ apples, peeled, cored and chopped
8Oz sultunas
Half teaspoon salt
Half tesapoon of pepper

Seemed like a basic start recipe so I went for it
Method is as follows

First put the pickling spices into a piece of muslin (or use spiced vinegar)
Put the onion into the pan with half teacup of the vinegar and simmer gently until nearly soft.
Add the chopped apples, sliced toms spices, salt, pepper, mustard, ginger and sultanas.
Simmer gently until all the mixture is quite soft. Stirring from time to time,
Add the reminder of the vinegar and the sugar. When the sugar has quite dissolved boil steadily until the chutney is consistency of jam.
How to tell when its done? Run your spoon across the top, if the groove does not fill straight away with vinegar then it is not done,
Forgive me for stating a few basics. There may be some who don’t know
Don’t forget to remove the spice bag if you have used one..
Do pour into warm clean jars.
Do not use metal jar lids direct, cover with paper wax disc, then the metal lid
Do not use an aluminium pot for making chutney.
And finally…. Enjoy your fruits in a few weeks.
robert

 

Gary Rhodes has a recipe in one of his books for Gypsy tart (my daughter has book)
I personaly boil a tin of condensed milk for 3 hours you get the most wonderful toffee/butterscotch like that, only be sure to use a large saucepan and do not let it boil dry, water should cover the tin at all times

 

I do that for my banoffi pie and its gorgeous :thumb: