Custard tartlets

• shortcrust pastry↗1 x 320g sheet g
• double cream↗125ml ml
• milk↗125ml ml
• vanilla bean paste↗1 tsp tsp
• nutmeg↗½ a

  ½

• egg yolks↗4
• granulated sugar↗50g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C with convection (gas 4). Take the shortcrust pastry sheet and using a 10 cm cutter, cut out 12 circles. Press each circle into a muffin tin. Place squares of parchment paper, then use them to line each tartlet base. Fill them with ceramic baking beads or raw rice, pressing lightly, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beads/rice and paper and bake for another 5 minutes until the base is slightly browned. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 140 °C/120 °C with convection (gas 1).

2. 2

   Bring the cream, milk, vanilla bean paste and a small amount of grated nutmeg to a boil. Whisk the egg yolks with sugar until pale, then gradually pour in the hot milk and cream while whisking continuously. Strain the custard into a jug, let it rest for a few minutes, then remove the foam.

3. 3

   Pour the custard into each tartlet shell, filling them as high as possible. Sprinkle a little more grated nutmeg, then carefully return to the oven and bake for 15‑20 minutes until the tartlets set, remaining slightly jiggly. Remove, cool, and serve with a little extra freshly grated nutmeg on top.