- STEP 1
To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour with the lemon zest and a pinch of salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, egg and milk and bring together to form a dough. This can be made 2 days in advance.
- STEP 2
On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out and use it to line a 20cm tart tin, leave 2cm of pastry hanging over the edge. Chill for 30 mins.
- STEP 3
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the case with baking beans, bake blind for 20 mins, then remove the beans and continue to cook for a further 20 mins until the base is biscuity. Remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas 1.
- STEP 4
Bring the cream, milk, vanilla pod, lemon zest and a small grating of nutmeg to the boil. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale, then pour the hot milk and cream over, beating as you go. Strain custard into a jug, allow to settle for a few mins, then skim off any froth.
- STEP 5
Carefully pour the custard into the tart case, grate some more nutmeg over the top and bake for 40 mins or until just set with the very slightest wobble in the middle. Remove from the oven, trim the pastry edges off (away from the filling), then leave to cool completely before serving in slices with a grating more of nutmeg, if you like.
FAQs
How to tell when a custard tart is done? ›
Carefully pour the custard into the tart case, grate some more nutmeg over the top and bake for 40 mins or until just set with the very slightest wobble in the middle.
Why did my custard tart not set? ›In order for a successful gelling of a starch in the recipe, the enzyme has to be killed by cooking the custard almost to boiling (a little less than 212 degrees F). Otherwise the left-over enzymes digest all of the nice firm starch gel and your custard is nothing but liquid.
How to fix foamy custard? ›If you want to smooth the air out of any sauce/custard, you can do it in a cryo-vac. Pour the custard about 1/4" high in a half-hotel pan, and vac it uncovered. It will bubble up violently, and then the valve release will suck all the bubbles out of it leaving you with a smooth, de-volumized product.
How to save curdled custard? ›If you notice lumps beginning to form in a custard, immediately pour it out of the hot pot into a bowl and pulse it with a handheld blender in five-second intervals until it is nearly smooth. This can take from 15 to 45 seconds, depending on how big the lumps are.
How do you know if custard is thick enough? ›Strain into a clean, heavy-bottomed pan and heat over a medium heat (be careful not to have the heat too high), stirring constantly until the mixture begins to steam and thicken. The custard is ready when you can draw a clean line through it on the back of a spoon, using your finger.
How do you know when the custard is the correct consistency? ›Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Stirring distributes the heat so the custard doesn't become too hot, which can curdle it. Draw a finger across the back of the spoon and if it leaves a trail, your custard is ready.
What are common mistakes making custard? ›The most common mistake people make in baking a custard is not putting enough water in the hot-water bath. The water should come up to the level of the custard inside the cups. You must protect your custard from the heat.
Will custard thicken as it cools? ›The custard will thicken though as it cools, so if you want a cold custard then please do look at the custard recipe in Nigella's Boozy British Trifle as this makes are relatively thick custard once it is chilled. For a thick, hot custard you need to add cornflour (cornstarch) as a thickener.
How can I make my custard more solid? ›Add flour and cold water mix to custard ingredients.
Mix flour and cold water well, making sure the mixture is smooth. For 1 cup (240 mL) of custard, use 2 tablespoons (17 g) of flour mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of cold water. Add the mixture into your custard ingredients as they cook on the stove.
Starch-egg custard
(In the case of starchless custards, curdling can occur if cooked beyond 185°F / 85°C.) When a custard is undercooked, it may initially seem thick but gradually turns into a soupy texture as the amylase enzyme attacks the starch and breaks down the custard, especially when refrigerated.
Can you reheat custard twice? ›
If you are too agressive with the heat then the custard will curdle. Also, if you reheat the custard then you should discard any leftovers afterwards as the custard should only be reheated once.
Why did my custard tart curdle? ›Overheating the custard can cause it to curdle or separate. To prevent this, cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Do not let the custard boil. When adding eggs to the custard mixture, add them slowly while whisking continuously.
How to fix split creme pâtissière? ›If your custard, creme patissier or creme anglaise has lumps or is starting to curdle, whack an ice cube in it then give it a quick blitz in the blender. Problem solved!
Is curdled custard ok to eat? ›The grainy texture is caused by the proteins in the egg yolk clumping together. The custard is still safe to eat, but the texture can be unpalatable. Sometimes it is possible to rescue a curdled custard enough so that it can be used as a base for ice cream, it depends how badly the custard has curdled.
How to know when a tart is done? ›Carefully pour your filling into your cooled (or slightly warm) tart shell and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling has set. To test, gently jiggle the tart pan- if the centre of the tart jiggles slightly, the tart is done.
How will you determine if the soft custard is already cooked? ›With stirred custards, we often use the spoon test! Insert a large metal or wooden into the cooked mixture and carefully run a finger down the back of it. For most “done” stirred custards, the mixture will coat the back of the spoon and you'll see a line parting where your finger ran through it.