Portuguese Custard Tarts

by Liz Sweny
from Just For Starters

Liz and Sue Sweny's recipe for these dainty, caramelised custard tarts makes a dangerously more-ish treat; try them and see!

• Servings: Makes 6 tartlets
• Level of difficulty: Intermediate
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 250g Puff pastry
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• Cream, to serve (optional)

For the custard:

• 6 large organic eggs
• 6 tbsp clear honey
• 2 vanilla pods
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 600ml double cream

For the caramel:

• 6 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

2. Finely roll out the puff pastry. Sprinkle over the sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

3. Fold up the pastry and roll out again. Form the pastry into a log shape.

4. Finely slice the pastry into 10 thin round slices.

5. Press the pastry slices into a greased 10-tartlet patty tin, pricking the base of each pastry case

6. Line each pastry case with greaseproof paper. Fill each case two-thirds full with baking beans. Bake for 8 minutes.

7. Remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans. Brush the pastry cases with beaten egg and bake for a further 4-6 minutes at 180°C/gas 4. Cool the pastry cases on a wire rack.

8. Meanwhile, make the custard. Whisk together the eggs and honey until thick and pale.

9. Place the cream in a heavy-based saucepan. Slice open the vanilla pods lengthways and scrape out the vanilla seeds into the cream. Stir in the orange zest.

10. Heat the cream to boiling point.

11. Whisking as you do so, gradually pour the hot cream into the egg mixture and mix well.

12. Pour the egg and cream mixture into the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens into a custard. Take care not to let it come to the boil. Strain into a bowl.

13. Divide the custard among the pastry tart cases and set aside to cool.

14. In a small saucepan, heat together the sugar and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

15. Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until the syrup caramelises and turns a deep golden brown.

16. Drizzle the hot caramel over the custard tarts. Serve the tarts with cream if desired, stirring now and then to prevent a skin from forming.

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葡式蛋挞

材料：

A．塔皮材料：低筋面粉270克(Cake Flour)，高筋面粉30克(Bread Flour)，酥油45克(Shortening)，片状马琪琳（植物黄油 Margarine）190克，水150克左右（根据面团的软硬程度逐渐添加，不要一下子都倒进去）。

B．蛋塔水材料：鲜奶油210克(Light Cream)，牛奶165克，低筋面粉15克，细砂糖63克，蛋黄4个，炼乳15克(Evaporated Milk), 如果喜欢椰子味,可以加100克浓椰汁(Coconut cream, 加椰汁的话,就只用100克鲜奶油)

备注：酥油一如它的英文名，Shortening，又名雪白奶油（请参看雪白奶油（Shortening）的详细说明），它用来防止面团筋性延展得太快，也可防 止膨大剂初期所产生的二氧化碳在过程中散逸。而白油（Lard），是人造猪油。根据中华谷研所的蛋糕与西点一书，酥油与白油的的作用相似，但是，酥油精炼 过程较白油为佳，油质更洁白细腻。所以如此看来，用Lard也是一样的

其实我想应该不需要这么复杂，面都要用好几种，待我试试后再确定是否可以简化用料