Portuguese Custard Tarts

These delicious tarts with their sweet filling are best enjoyed on the day they are made.

Hands-on time 25min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 15min. Makes 12

* Butter, softened, to grease * 320g sheet all-butter puff pastry * Plain flour, to dust * 125g (4oz) caster sugar * Peeled zest ½ lemon * 1 cinnamon stick * 25g (1oz) cornflour * 75ml (3fl oz) whole milk * 75ml (3fl oz) double cream * 2 large egg yolks

1 Preheat oven to 270°C (250°C fan) mark 9 (or your oven’s highest setting) and put a large baking sheet in the top ⅓ to heat up. Generously grease a shallow 12-hole cupcake tin.

2 Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Starting from a short edge, re-roll tightly. Cut into 12 even slices. Lightly re-flour the surface and roll out the slices to 6.5cm (2½in) circles. Line the holes in the tin with the pastry circles, pinching the edges so the tops stick up by 1cm (½in) – slightly uneven is fine. Chill until needed.

3 In a small pan, heat the sugar, 125ml (4fl oz) water, lemon zest and cinnamon over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat up and bubble for 3-4min until slightly syrupy. Cool.

4 Measure the cornflour into a large jug, then gradually whisk in the milk, followed by the cream and egg yolks, until smooth. Add the cooled syrup (discard the cinnamon stick and lemon zest). Mix well.

5 Divide the filling among the pastry cases, filling to 1cm (½in) from the top of the pastry, as the custard will rise as it cooks. Bake in the oven on the preheated baking sheet for 10-12min (or a little longer if your oven doesn’t go to 270°C), until the pastry is golden and the top of the custard is browning.

6 Carefully remove the tarts from the tin immediately and leave to cool on a wire rack before eating.

PER TART 198cals, 2g protein, 11g fat (7g saturates), 22g carbs (11g total sugars), 0g fibre

GET AHEAD Make the custard mixture up to a day ahead. Cover and chill. Complete recipe to serve.