Portuguese Tarts

(makes 12)

INGREDIENTS

3 egg yolks (I prefer 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg

115g caster sugar

2 tbsp cornflour

230ml cream (I don’t use cream, I use milk)

170ml milk

2 tsp vanilla extract (I use Queen Vanilla Bean Paste

300g rolled puff pastry (I use one sheet of puff pastry)

METHOD

1.    Lightly  grease a 12 hole 80ml muffin tray

2.    Put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a pan and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the cream and milk until smooth.

3.    Place the pan over a medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool

4.    Pre heat oven to 200 degrees

5.    Cut the pastry dough sheet in half, put one half on top of the other and set aside for 5 minutes. Roll up the pastry tightly from the short end and cut the pastry log into 12 x 1cm rounds. Lay each pastry round on a light floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out until each is 10cm in diameter

6.    Press the pastry rounds into the muffin tin. Spoon the cool custard into the pastry cases and bake for 10 – 25 minutes or until the pastry and custard are golden. Leave the tarts in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.