The phrase “You can’t
even boil an egg”
is shorthand for “You
can’t cook anything, no
matter how simple”.
However, there is need
for careful cooking
and basic knowledge to
cook an egg perfectly.
Get it right, and an egg
will make you proud.
EAT
PORTUGUESE
CUSTARD TARTS
Serves 10
Prep time 30 mins
Cooking time 35 mins
(plus chilling)Equipment Grater or Microplane;
2 small heavy-based pans; wooden
spoon; thermometer; whisk; sieve;
cling wrap; 12-hole muffin tin; sharp
knife; baking sheet; wire rack325g golden caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
325ml full-fat whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
40g cornflour,
plus extra to dust
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
butter, to grease
300g all-butter puff pastry
(such as Carême brand)(^) ●^1 In a small pan, combine 200g
sugar, lemon zest and 200ml water
over medium heat, stirring to dissolve
sugar. Bring to the boil for 6 mins to
reach 108°C on a thermometer
(or until a little dropped into a bowl
of cold water forms a thin thread).
Remove from the heat and cool
before discarding the peel.
(^) ●^2 Heat milk and cinnamon in a clean
pan to warm through. In a small bowl,
whisk cornflour with a little warm milk
to form a paste. Bring the milk to the
boil then whisk in the flour paste,
stirring until thickened. Pour into a
bowl and set aside. In another bowl,
whisk egg yolk, remaining sugar and
vanilla extract, then slowly pour over
thickened milk, whisking as you do so.
●^3 Strain the mixture through a sieve
into a bowl, then set aside to cool.
Cover in cling wrap and chill. Once
cold, stir through the cooled sugar
syrup. Grease 10 holes of muffin tin
generously with butter and chill.
●^4 Roll the pastry out into a long
rectangle of about 40cm x 18cm,
and roll up from the short end into
a tight log. Cut into 10cm x 1.5cm
rounds (discarding the ends) and roll
each out into a 10cm disc. Use these
to line your muffin tin and chill.
●^5 Preheat the oven to 250°C and
place a baking sheet inside. Divide
custard between the pastry cases
(leaving a 1cm gap between the top
of the filling and the pastry). Transfer
to the preheated baking tray and bake
for 18 to 20 mins, until the pastry is
crisp and the custard just set. Leave
for 5 mins then loosen with a knife
and cool completely on a wire rack. R
Egg-cellent read
Fancy trying out some
cracking new recipes?
Check out Posh Eggs
by Lucy O’Reilly
(Quadrille; $29.99).
65
MINS
Crispy/creamy
Sure, they take an hour
to make, but using
ready-made butter puff
pastry is a lot quicker
than making your own.
@reallivingmag
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