We recently had a lot of egg yolks leftover from one of our ice cream making batches and you know me I hate waste so I got to work making a batch of creme patissiere – well my version of it anyway! This is a thickened custard which can be used in lots of different ways, to sandwich cakes together, in fruit tartlets or to squeeze into fresh doughnuts or eclairs. My current favourite way to use it is in these Portuguese style custard tarts. I have also be known to eat it by the spoon on more than one occasion!
I’ve called these Portuguese style tarts as they aren’t exactly the same, most tarts for example use puff pastry and I had no time to make my own and I love making shortcrust as its so easy but feels like more of an accomplishment – I am easily pleased!
Portugese Style Custard Tarts
You will need:
For the pastry:
225g plain flour
100g butter cubed
40g caster sugar
3tbsp cold water
For the filling:
200ml double cream
50ml whole milk
3 large egg yolks
250g golden caster sugar
30g plain flour
20g butter
1tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
Whisk your yolks, sugar and flour together and set aside. Heat your cream, milk and cinnamon together in a pan until boiling, remove a small amount (approximately 75ml ) of the mixture and whisk into the yolk,flour and sugar mix, add some more and whisk again before pouring carefully into the cream and milk in the pan. Whisk together and cook over a low heat until thickened ( should not take more than a few minutes ) now whisk in your butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool – pop a layer of clingfilm on top of the mixture so it is touching the top to avoid a skin forming.
Preheat your oven to 200c ( 180c fan ). Combine your flour and sugar then rub your butter into the mix until it resembles breadcrumbs, add your water little by little until you have a dough. Roll out your dough onto a well floured surface until approximately 1/4 inch thick and using a round cutter, cut 12 circles from it. Place into a tart baking tray and press to fit the hole. Spoon in your cooled custard mixture and bake for approximately 20 minutes until they look golden brown on top and the pastry is cooked.
Try really hard not to dive in before they cool a little! These are equally good the following day if you can leave them that long! These are utterly delectable.