PORTUGUESE CUSTARD RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to just a simmer.
• Meanwhile, whisk yolks, cornflour, vanilla and sugar together in a large heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture until smooth.
• Return mixture to cleaned saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and thickly coats the back of a spoon.
• Transfer to a glass bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming). Set aside to cool then refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease the wells of a 12-hole muffin tray with butter.
• In a pan, heat the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour over a low to medium heat, whisking continuously until thickened and well combined.
• Add the vanilla seeds, then add the milk and cream in a thin stream, whisking continuously, until the mixture is thick, smooth and well combined.
• Continue to stir the custard mixture until it comes to the boil, then remove from the heat and cover the surface with cling film. (This prevents a skin from forming on the custard.)
• Roll out the puff pastry onto a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour and icing sugar. Cut the pastry in half and place one sheet on top of the other. Roll the pastry sheets up like a Swiss roll and cut the roll into twelve slices.
• Lay each of the rolled pastry slices flat onto the work surface and roll out into 10cm/4in discs using a rolling pin.
• Press a pastry disc into each of the wells of the prepared muffin tray. Divide the cooled custard equally among the pastry cases.
• Transfer the muffin tray to the oven and bake the tarts for 18-20 minutes, or until the custard has set and is pale golden-brown and the pastry is crisp and golden-brown. Allow to cool in the tin.