Recipe courtesy of Vera Chan-Waller
From:
Food Network Magazine
Egg Custard Tarts
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 12 tarts
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 228
- Total Fat
- 14
- Saturated Fat
- 8
- Carbohydrates
- 21
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 9
- Protein
- 5
- Cholesterol
- 110
- Sodium
- 50
- Total: 2 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr
Ingredients
For the Puff Pastry:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, plus more for the pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
For the Egg Custard:
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 large eggs
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Make the puff pastry: Cut the butter into 3/4 cup flour in a medium bowl with a fork, then knead with your hands until the dough comes together. Transfer the “oil dough” to a piece of plastic wrap and pat into a 7 1/2-inch square; wrap in the plastic and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the egg, water and remaining 3/4 cup flour in a separate bowl, then knead with your hands until the dough comes together, adding more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky. Transfer the “water dough” to a piece of plastic wrap; wrap in the plastic and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Unwrap the “water dough” and roll out into an 11-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Place the “oil dough” square on top and turn it so that it looks like a diamond. Fold the sides of the “water dough” over the “oil dough” to enclose completely.
- Roll out the folded dough into an 11-inch square and mark it into thirds. Fold in the outer thirds over the center third, like a letter. Roll out the folded dough into a large square again. Repeat twice (folding like a letter, then rolling into a square), refrigerating the dough as needed if it becomes too soft.
- Mark the square of dough into fourths. Fold the outer fourths into the center, then fold in half like a book and roll out again. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
- Butter 12 small (2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inch-diameter) fluted tart pans. Unwrap the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out circles with a round cutter (about 1/4 inch larger than your tart pans). Refrigerate 20 minutes, then press the dough into the tart pans. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the egg custard: Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Whisk the eggs into the cooled sugar syrup, then stir in the evaporated milk, vanilla and salt. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Arrange the tart pans on a baking sheet. Divide the custard among the pans, filling each about three-quarters full. (Do not overfill or the tarts could overflow; you may not use all of the custard.)
- Bake until the crusts are golden and the filling puffs slightly, about 45 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes in the pans, then carefully tap the bottoms to remove the tarts and transfer to a rack to cool completely.