EGG CUSTARD TART

MAKES 16 - PREP 40 MINS (WITH TIME TO REST PASTRY) - BAKE 25 MINS COOL 30 MINS INGREDIENTS

● Sweet pastry

● 165g/5oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

● 25g/1oz ground almonds

● 120g/4oz chilled unsalted butter, cubed

● Freshly ground nutmeg

● 55g/2oz caster sugar

● 1 free-range egg

● Custard filling

● 700ml/1 pint full-fat milk

● 7 free-range egg yolks

● 90g/3oz caster sugar

METHOD

1. To make the pastry, stir the flour and ground almonds together in a large bowl, then add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.

2. Break in the egg and work it into the mixture with your fingers, bringing it together to form a soft dough.

3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a ball. Flatten with your fingers to a disc and wrap in cling film. Leave to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/GAS 6.

4. Roll out the sweet pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 11cm/4in fluted cutter, cut out 12 discs and line the muffin tray moulds with the pastry circles. The pastry should overlap the top of the moulds by a few millimetres. Crimp the edges.

5. For the custard filling, warm the milk in a saucepan, and beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a separate bowl until pale and creamy.

6. Pour the milk onto the egg yolk mixture and stir well, creating little bubbles. 9. Transfer the custard mixture into a jug and fill each of the tart cases.

7. Sprinkle a small pinch of ground nutmeg into the middle of each tart.

8. Bake the tarts in the oven for about 25 minutes - you may need to turn the temperature down to 180°C/350°F/GAS 4 for the final ten minutes. You are looking for a very slight dome on the custard. If the custard domes too much, you have overcooked the custard, it will have boiled, and will sink back down leaving a big dip. You can help rescue it by removing the tarts from the oven immediately and placing the tin in cold water on a cold surface.

9. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes and then carefully remove from the moulds. The base of the tarts should be perfectly baked through, without having overcooked the custard filling.