Add a dash of intuition

THERE is an unnatural distinction that too many cooks draw between the nature of savoury and sweet recipes. It’s an artificial separation, and one that doesn’t faithfully reflect the nature of their processes.

Baking is no more complex or scientific than grilling or roasting.

In fact, just like the art of cooking a perfect steak, baking is mostly about intuition, quality ingredients and understanding the relationships that exist between ingredients, equipment and technique.

To master the art of dessert you don’t only need recipes, you need to find your mojo.

Consider for a moment one of the more lauded strings in a baker’s bow – a great baked custard tart. From vanilla to lemon, brulee to banoffee, all these require a mastery of four distinct elements. Pastry, blind baking, filling ratios, and final oven time.

The first three we will cover at a later time, but in the final skill we find an illumination of one of the most important lessons taught to all young apprentices.

You simply must trust your instinct. The desired result is a rich and creamy custard filling that is just firm and doesn’t split or curdle. As both dairy and eggs are temperaturesensitive, this can pose a challenge. But one simple trick can transform your results.

In order to tame the sensitivity of the custard, keep in mind that the key idea is to maintain a constant temperature throughout the mixture.

Baked entirely in the shell or heated separately then finished in pastry is immaterial.

So here’s the concept. Warm the custard in a bowl of simmering water until just about set, then pour in and bake for no more than 10 minutes.

Simple. Self-evident. Intuitive. And a great tart every time.

Ingredients