Pastries Recipes - Custard Tarts Recipe

Ingredients

SERVES 6

• 225g/8oz plain flour

• 50g/2oz rice flour

• 25g/1oz icing sugar

• 100g/4oz butter (cubed]

• 1 egg yolk

• 3 tablespoons iced water

• 1 egg white (lightly beaten]

For the custard filling:

• 3 eggs

• 350ml/12fl oz milk

• 50g/2oz caster sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

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Method:

1. Sift the flours and icing sugar into a large bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Make a well and add the egg yolk and almost all the water. Mix with a flat bladed knife, using a cutting action, until the mixture comes together in small beads, adding more water if the dough is too dry.

3. Gather together and roll out between two sheets of baking parchment. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each portion out to fit the base and sides of a 10cm/4in loose-bottomed fluted tart tin.

4. Line 12 tins with pastry and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Line each pastry with crumpled baking parchment and baking beans.

5. Place on baking trays and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 10 minutes. Cool, then brush the base and sides of each pastry case with the egg white.

6. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C/300°F/Gas mark 2. For the filling, whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl to combine. Add the sugar gradually, whisking to dissolve completely.

7. Stir in the vanilla essence. Strain into a jug, then pour into the pastry cases. Sprinkle with the nutmeg and bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling is just set. Serve at room temperature.