← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 200 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• 110 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 egg yolk, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
• 200 ml whole milk
• 100 ml double (heavy) cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 50 g caster sugar
• ½ tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 whole nutmeg, for grating

Method

1. Rub the flour, sugar, salt and butter together until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the yolk and water and mix to a firm dough. Wrap and chill for 30 min.
2. Roll the pastry out to 3 mm thick, cut 10 cm rounds and press them into a 12-hole muffin tin, pleating the sides so they reach the top. Chill for 15 min. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan, 375°F).
3. Line each case with a square of baking paper, fill with baking beans or rice and bake for 12 min. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 min more until dry and pale golden. Lower the oven to 160°C (140°C fan, 325°F).
4. Heat the milk and cream until steaming. Whisk the yolks, sugar and vanilla in a jug, then slowly whisk in the hot milk. Skim off any froth.
5. Pour the custard into the cases right to the top (easiest with the tin already on the oven shelf). Grate plenty of nutmeg over each.
6. Bake for 18–22 min until the custard is just set with a gentle wobble in the centre. Cool completely in the tin, then lift out carefully.

Tips

• Low heat is the secret: if the custard puffs or cracks, it is overcooked.
• Use the 5 leftover egg whites for meringues or an angel food cake.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food BBC Food