SAVVY SHOPPER: THIS WEEK’S BEST BARGAINS

If you’ve whipped up meringues, pavlovas or macarons, here are some ideas for the leftover yolks

1 CHINESE CUSTARD TARTS

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan. Combine 6 yolks, 100g caster sugar, 150ml pure (thin) cream, ½ cup milk and 2 tsp vanilla extract in a jug and set aside to make custard. Take 2 sheets frozen puff pastry that has been thawed, and cut one pastry sheet in half. Sit one half on top of the other and roll up from the shortest end to form a log. Repeat with the other pastry sheet. Cut each log into 6 rounds. Roll out each round on a floured surface to make a 10cm circle. Press each pastry circle into a greased hole of the muffin pan. Fill the pastry shells with the custard and bake for 18-20 minutes until puffed at the edges and pale golden on top. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

2 CINNAMON-HONEY CREME BRULEE

Bring 3 cups thickened cream, 1 cup milk, 4 cinnamon sticks and ¼ tsp salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat. Set aside for 1 hour to allow flavours to develop. Preheat oven to 150C/130C fan-forced. Strain milk mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl. Return to pan. Add ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup caster sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Whisk 9 egg yolks and another ¼ cup caster sugar in a heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Strain mixture through sieve over a heatproof jug. Divide custard evenly between 8 x ¾-cup (180ml capacity) ramekins. Place in a large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until set around the edges, but still wobbly in centres. Carefully remove dishes from water and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight (or up to 3 days). Just before serving, place dishes in freezer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle a thin layer of caster sugar over the top of each custard. Using a kitchen blowtorch or a preheated grill on medium-high, caramelise sugar for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Repeat with another layer of remaining sugar. Serve.