Treacle Tarts

Makes about 2 dozen miniature tarts.

9 oz pie crust pastry (enough for two single standard pie crusts)
approximately 11 tablespoons black treacle (can use golden syrup if desired)
1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger, optional
4 oz unseasoned breadcrumbs

After greasing the pan first, line each cup of a miniature muffin baking pan with the pastry, rolled as thin as possible. Warm the treacle in a saucepan. Add the ginger and stir in the breadcrumbs. Spoon the breadcrumb mixture into each pastry cup only about 2/3rds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, watching closely so the crust edges do not burn.

(I found this Treacle Tart recipe online and adapted it to make miniature individual Treacle Tarts with the black treacle I found at my local British food shop. I also used miniature fluted brioche pans/sandbakkel tins so the crust looked more like a fluted tart crust. Also, be careful, since the breadcrumbs are given by weight, not by fluid ounces, and breadcrumbs are very light. Since I do not have a food scale, I eyeballed it by stirring in breadcrumbs until it looked like the mixture would hold together, and I think I ended up with at least 2 cups. Both golden syrup (less bitter taste - inbetween honey and light corn syrup) and black treacle are usually only found in British food shops. Theoretically, dark molasses could be substituted for black treacle, but the taste is different, so if you don't have a local British food shop, try online, since treacle and golden syrup don't need to be refrigerated and last quite awhile.)