Custard Tart With Nutmeg Pastry Recipes

CUSTARD TART WITH NUTMEG PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll the pastry out to about 1cm thick, then grate over a dusting of nutmeg using a fine grater. Fold the dough in half, then roll out again, to the thickness of 2 x £1 coins and large enough to line a 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tin with some overhang. Press the pastry into the tin (leaving the excess draped over the sides), put onto a baking sheet and chill for 10 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 mins, then remove beans and paper. Bake for another 15 mins until golden and sandy all over. Trim the edges of the tart with a sharp serrated knife.
• Turn oven down to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Put the cream, milk, vanilla pod and seeds into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour onto the eggs, whisking as you go. Sieve into a jug. Put the baking sheet onto the pulled-out oven rack, then pour in the custard, right to the top. You may not need every last drop. Grate over a nice layer of nutmeg, then slide gently back into the oven and bake for 1 hr. When it's ready, the tart should be set and pale golden on the top, and have just the merest tremor in the centre when you jiggle the tray. Cool completely, then serve in slices.

OLD-FASHIONED BAKED EGG CUSTARD TART WITH NUTMEG

Steps:

• To make the pastry, first of all sift the flour with the pinch of salt into a large bowl, holding the sieve up high to give it a good airing. Then add the lard and butter and, using only your fingertips, lightly and gently rub the fat into the flour, again lifting the mixture up high all the time to give it a good airing.
• When everything is crumbly, sprinkle in about 1 tablespoon of cold water. Start to mix the pastry with a knife and then finish off with your hands, adding a few more drops of water, till you have a smooth dough that leaves the bowl clean. Then pop the pastry into a polythene bag and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C) and pop the baking sheet in to pre-heat on the centre shelf.
• After that, roll the pastry out into a circle on a surface lightly dusted with flour, giving it quarter turns to keep its round shape; it's a good idea at this stage to put the tin lightly on top of the pastry - the size needs to be 1 inch (2.5 cm) bigger all round. Now transfer it, rolling it over the pin, to the tin, and press it lightly and firmly around the base, sides and rim. Now take a sharp knife and trim the overlapping pastry. Then press the rim of the pastry so that about ¼ inch (5 mm) overlaps the edge.
• Next, roll the trimmings and cut out about 24 leaves, making veins in them with the blunt side of the knife. Now brush the whole surface of the pastry case with some of the beaten eggs, arranging the leaves all around the rim, overlapping them. Brush these, too, with beaten egg. Now prick the base of the tart with a fork, then place it on the baking sheet and bake on the centre shelf for 20 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden. Check after 4 minutes to make sure that the pastry isn't rising up in the centre. If it is, prick it again a couple of times, pressing it back down with your hands. After 20 minutes, remove it from the oven, leaving the baking sheet there, and reduce the temperature to gas mark 3, 325°F(170°C).
• Now place the cream in a saucepan and bring it up to a gentle simmer, then whisk the beaten eggs and sugar together in a large heatproof jug using a balloon whisk - but not too vigorously because you don't want to make bubbles. Then pour the hot liquid over the beaten eggs, add the vanilla extract and half the nutmeg and whisk briefly again.
• Now place the pie tin back on the baking tray with the oven shelf half out and have ready the rest of the grated nutmeg on a piece of foil. Carefully pour the filling into the pastry case (it will be very full) and scatter the rest of the nutmeg all over, then dot with the softened butter and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the filling is golden brown, firm in the centre and slightly puffed up. Serve it warm or slightly cooled at room temperature.

SINFUL CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Position 1 oven rack in the bottom of the oven and 1 in the middle. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Unroll pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the edge.
• Bake pie crust on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
• While the crust is baking, combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add half-and-half, milk, rum, and salt; mix on low until incorporated. Mix nutmeg and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
• Remove crust from the oven and brush with egg white; bake for another 5 minutes.
• Remove crust from the oven; increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Carefully pour filling into the pie crust. Sprinkle with spice mixture.
• Bake on the bottom rack of the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Move the pie to the middle rack and bake until the middle of the pie is almost set, about 25 minutes. Place on a cooling rack; it will continue to cook after it's taken out of the oven.

CUSTARD & NUTMEG TART

Steps:

• Beat the milk and eggs together, strain into a jug and stir in the sultanas, vanilla, a generous grating of nutmeg and the orange zest. Chill to allow the flavours to mingle while you prepare the tart case.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a baking tray inside. Roll the pastry out a little thinner on a lightly floured surface until large enough to line a loose-bottomed 23cm tart tin, leaving the excess pastry overhanging at the top. Chill for 20 mins. Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and cook on the heated tray for 10-15 mins. Remove the beans and parchment, and bake for 5 mins more to cook the base of the tart. Turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Trim round the edge of the pastry case with a sharp knife to remove the excess.
• Carefully pour the custard mixture into the tart case, evenly distributing the sultanas, then grate over some more nutmeg. Bake for 20-30 mins until the custard is set but it still has a wobble in the centre. Cool to room temperature or chill before serving.