Custard tart – the return....

Also known as “the tart so beautiful it almost glows”:


Quite an elegant photo for me....


There are times - even in The Caked Crusader’s life - when you simply have to do as you’re told. Let’s just say that after the triumph of last week’s custard tart (for the recipe click here), the CCM (Caked Crusader’s Ma) made it very clear that should I arrive this week for my Sunday roast lunch sans-tart bad things might happen. So I’ve made another custard tart....even super heroes have to do as their Ma tells them!

Fresh from the oven:


Look at all that lovely nutmeg....mmm, nutmeg.....


This time I tried it with my own sweet shortcrust pastry recipe set out below. The pastry was much better natured and less stressful to work with – and, most importantly, had no detrimental effect to the flavour or texture of the finished tart.

Here’s the pastry settling into the pastry ring:


This is what ‘baking blind’ means – cooking the pastry shell with weight on it to stop it rising:


What a nice way to end a bank holiday post – the CCM is happy as she has another custard tart; I’m happy as I have one of the CCM’s magical roast dinners....all is right with the world!

Gratuitous custard tart shots....yes I know....I have a problem....but look at how beautiful it is......



Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Ingredients:

173g plain flour
120g unsalted butter
3 tablespoons icing sugar
2 egg yolks

How to make:

- Put the flour and butter into a bowl and rub together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs – either using your fingertips, a food processor or, as I discovered to my joy, the beater fitting on the Kitchenaid mixer.

- Add the icing sugar and stir in.

- Add the egg yolk and bring the dough together until it is smooth, glossy and soft.

- Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before you need to use it – this relaxes the dough and stops the cooked pastry from shrinking.

- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.

- Do not eat yet – it’s raw! Cook it according to the recipe requirements.