Cooking with Karen Make easy bites and recipes with a delicious twist

Go for mouthwatering Asian-style sweet tarts, made using ready-made pastry and filled with creamy vanilla custard – don't even try resisting!

Crisp pastry and smooth, creamy custard, make a brilliant combo

Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 45 mins Makes 8

Cooking oil spray, to grease 3 sheets store-bought frozen

shortcrust pastry 1 free-range egg white 5 free-range egg yolks 1 free-range egg

2 Tbsp custard powder

1 tsp vanilla extract 500ml thickened cream 250ml milk

125g caster sugar

1 whole nutmeg STEP 1 Preheat oven to 200°C fanforced (220°C conventional). Lightly grease 8 x 10cm round foil pastry cases with cooking oil spray. Cut pastry sheets to fit tart shells. They will shrink a little, so allow them to overhang slightly. Line pastry cases with baking paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans to blind bake. STEP 2 Bake for 15 minutes and reduce heat to 140°C fan-forced (160°C conventional). Remove tarts from oven and remove baking paper and weights. Brush inside of cases with egg white and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully trim off excess pastry using a small sharp knife. Set aside to cool. STEP 3 Put yolks, egg, custard powder and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Put cream, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring, until just about to simmer. Then pour hot milk mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly as you pour.

STEP 4 Strain mixture through a fine sieve, over a large jug. Put tart shells on 2 large oven trays, then pour custard mixture evenly into pastry cases. Bake for 25 minutes, then check if the custard has set. Cook a little longer if necessary.

STEP 5 Remove from oven and grate fresh nutmeg over the top. Allow tarts to cool before serving .