Move over Custard Tarts, there's a new kid in town!

Move over plain old custard tarts, there’s a new kid in town, in the person of Portuguese Custard Tartlets!!!

About a week ago I started a poll on my blog called “Make Me Bake.” Each week I shall be posting a new poll, which includes a list of no less than four delicious baked goodies. You, my readers, get to vote for which of the four delectables you want for me to bake at the end of the week. See there =======>>>>>> (tis in the right hand column of the page)

The clear winner last week was these lovely Portuguese Custard Tartlets. I had kind of been hoping that your choice would be a chocolate creation, chocolate being my first love, but . . . . you, my lovely readers, decided differently.



I have to say though . . . now that I have finished baking them . . . and am sitting here with lovely custardy crumbs on my lips . . . I am not disappointed.

Run!! Run to the store as quickly as you can and pick up the ingredients to make these tarts for yourself. You won’t be sorry, I guarantee . . . get going NOW!

Tis a pity that the recipe only makes six, as now I am going to have to make them again . . . oh the pain of it all . . . delicious pain . . .




*Portuguese Custard Tartlettes*
Makes six


It only takes three letters to describe these delectable little creations W-O-W!! Try them for yourself and you’ll see what I’m talking about! Very quick and easy to make, and very impressive . . .

1 (9 1/4 X 10) inch sheet of puff pastry, thawed (about 9 ounces)
4 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 TBS cornflour
the finely grated zest of 1 lemon
a pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 260*C/500*F. Take the puff pasty and roll it into as tight a coil as you can, starting from the short side. Cut the coil into 1 1/2 inch wide strips. Put the pieces, cut sides down, into six muffin cups. Wet your fingers with a bit of cold water and press the pastry over the bottoms and up the sides to make a thin shell. It's ok if they extend a bit beyond the rim. Put into the freezer to chill while you make the custard.

Whisk the egg yolks, cream, sugar, cornflour, lemon zest and salt together in a medium saucepan. Place over medium high heat and cook, whisking constantly until the custard begins to thicken. This will take about 6 1/2 minutes. It will look quite thin until you have been wisking for about six minutes and then in the last 30 seconds will thicken just enough, like magic! It should be as thick as lemon curd. You don't need to boil it.

Remove your muffin tin from the freezer and divide the custard equally among the prepared tartlet shells. (If you are using a 12 cup muffin tin, fill the empty cups half full of water so they don't burn, trust me)

Bake until the tops are slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around them and loosen them so that you can remove them from the pan and finish cooling them on a wire rack before devouring! (about 30 minutes . . . for the cooling, not the devouring . . . that shouldn't take all that long!)

What do do with the leftover egg whites????

Why Pavlova of course!