1-First, combine the softened butter and icing sugar in a bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and egg yolks, beating continuously until well mixed. Then, mix in the sifted plain flour, cornflour, and a quarter teaspoon of salt, kneading lightly to form a dough before wrapping and refrigerating for 15 minutes.

2-Next, preheat your oven to 180°C (that’s fan 160°C or gas mark 4) and roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 0.7 cm thickness. Line a 24cm tart tin with the pastry, fixing any cracks with extra dough, then prick the base with a fork. Line it with baking paper, add baking beans, and blind bake for 20-25 minutes; remove the beans, fix cracks if needed, and bake another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Let it cool completely.

3-For the filling, cream the unsalted butter and soft light brown sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, sifted plain flour, baking powder, spiced rum if you’re using it, and a pinch of salt. Stir in the desiccated coconut, crystallised ginger, dried apricots, dried mulberries if available, dates, and chopped nuts until everything is evenly combined.

4-Pour the filling over the cooled pastry base and level it out smoothly. Bake for 35-40 minutes until it’s cooked through, then allow it to cool before serving. The total preparation time is about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and it’s best enjoyed with pouring cream or custard for a creamy finish.