1-Gathering and Prepping Ingredients: First, cream the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla and egg yolks. This step ensures a smooth dough for the pastry. Next, add the flours and a pinch of salt to form the dough, mixing until just combined to keep it tender.

2-Making the Pastry: 1. After forming the dough, chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
2. Roll out the chilled dough to about 0.7cm thick and line it in a 24cm tart tin, pressing it evenly along the sides.
3. Prick the base with a fork, then line it with baking paper and fill with baking beans before blind baking at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.

3-Preparing the Filling: While the pastry bakes, start on the filling by creaming the unsalted butter and soft light brown sugar until smooth. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. For an internal link, check out our guide on baking tips for more on mixing techniques.

Mix in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, sifted plain flour, baking powder, and spiced rum if using. Fold in the desiccated coconut, chopped crystallised ginger, dried apricot, dried mulberry, pitted and chopped dates, blanched almonds, brazil nuts, and walnuts for a rich texture.

4-Baking and Serving: After removing the baking beans and fixing any cracks in the pastry, bake it for another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and cooled. Pour the filling over the cooled pastry and bake for 35-40 minutes until it’s cooked through and golden. Let the tart cool before serving, ideally with pouring cream or custard for a creamier finish.