On a platter in the car on the way to a get together with friends in the Valley yesterday.

Portuguese/Spanish custard tarts, as the theme of the party was Spanish. First time I’ve ever made these but don’t think it will be the last.

I’ve had several requests for the recipe since I put the photo up in a Facebook post, so I am giving it here also. It is given just in spoon and cup measurements as this is the way I jotted it down as I made them.

I am not at all sure that this is the traditional way to make them but it worked really well.

Portuguese Custard tarts

For the pastry bases use your favourite homemade pastry – for instance rough puff pastry or puff pastry for Portuguese or Spanish style tarts (even utilising ready rolled sheets would be ok for the sake of convenience).

For custard tarts more of the English or Australian style, use sweet short short crust pastry.

Custard

7 teaspoons maize cornflour
2 eggs
2 ¼ cups full cream milk
¼ to 1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
+
1 teaspoon (approximately) ground cinnamon or nutmeg to sprinkle over tarts before baking

Method

Whisk the cornflour, eggs and ¼ cup milk together until well combined.

Heat the other 2 cups milk until boiling, then whisk in the egg and cornflour mixture and continue to cook over medium-low heat until it thickens. Mix in vanilla and sugar to taste.

Remove from heat, cover surface with cling film or baking paper and set aside to cool completely.

To assemble for baking

I used 8cm diameter tart tins, in which case you will need 12 to 18. Grease the tins well.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C, fan forced.

On a lightly floured surface and dusting the dough with a little flour, roll out the pastry to about 6mm thick and then cut into circles to fit into the prepared tins.

Once in place, brush with a little of the whisked egg white. Fill the cases with the cooled custard, level out with the back of a spoon and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned.

Remove from oven and leave to stand in tins for 8 to 10 minutes, after which the tarts should be carefully eased out, then left to cool on a wire rack.