Diana's Desserts - www.dianasdesserts.com
See more recipes in Pies and Tarts

Old-Fashioned English Custard Tart

in Guest Recipe Book

Average Rating: 
(total ratings: 3)
[Read reviews] [Post a review]
Servings: 6-8
 
Comments:
"This old-fashioned custard tart needs a thick, wobbly filling, so use a round pie pan with sloping sides and a rim, which gives a good depth. The nutmeg is very important to the flavor, so always use it freshly grated and grate it on to a piece of foil, which helps when you have to sprinkle it on quickly when it goes into the oven".........Delia Smith

Ingredients:
For the Short Crust Pastry:
5 oz. (150 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for dusting
pinch of salt
1 oz. (25 g) softened shortening
11/2 oz. (40 g) softened butter

For the Filling:
3 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 pint (570 ml) heavy cream
2 oz. (50 g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11/2 whole nutmegs, freshly grated (or use ground nutmeg if you don't have whole nutmeg to grate)
1 tsp. butter, softened to room temperature

Instructions:
You will also need a 2 inch (5 cm) leaf cutter, a pie pan that has a rim and sloping sides (11/2 inches/4 cm deep, with a 7 inch/18 cm base and a 1/2 inch/1 cm rim), lightly greased, and a medium-sized baking sheet.

To Make the Pastry
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Sift the flour with the pinch of salt into a large bowl, holding the sifter up high to give it a good airing. Then add the shortening and butter and, using only your fingertips, lightly and gently rub the fat into the flour, again lifting the mixture up high all the time to give it a good airing.

When everything is crumbly, sprinkle in about 1 tablespoon of cold water. Start to mix the pastry with a knife and then finish off with your hands, adding a few more drops of water, until you have a smooth dough that leaves the bowl clean. Then place the pastry into a plastic bag and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile place the baking sheet on center rack in preheated oven.

Roll the pastry out into a circle on a surface lightly dusted with flour, giving it quarter turns to keep its round shape; it's a good idea at this stage to put the pie pan lightly on top of the pastry – the size needs to be 1 inch (2.5 cm) bigger all round. Now transfer it, rolling it over the pin, to the pan, and press it lightly and firmly around the base, sides and rim. Now take a sharp knife and trim the overlapping pastry. Press the rim of the pastry so that about 1/4 inch (5 mm) overlaps the edge. Roll the trimmings and cut out about 24 leaves, making veins in them with the blunt side of the knife. Now brush the whole surface of the pastry crust with some of the beaten eggs, arranging the leaves all around the rim, overlapping them. Brush these, too, with beaten egg. Now prick the base of the tart with a fork, then place it on the baking sheet and bake on the center rack for 20 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden. Check after 4 minutes to make sure that the pastry isn't rising up in the center. If it is, prick it again a couple of times, pressing it back down with your hands. After 20 minutes, remove it from the oven, leaving the baking sheet there, and reduce the temperature to 325°F(170°C).

Place the cream in a saucepan and bring it up to a gentle simmer, then whisk the beaten eggs and sugar together in a large heatproof bowl using a balloon whisk – but not too vigorously because you don't want to make bubbles. Then pour the hot liquid over the beaten eggs, add the vanilla extract and half the nutmeg and whisk briefly again.

Place the pie pan back on the baking sheet with the oven rack half out and have ready the rest of the grated nutmeg on a piece of foil. Carefully pour the filling into the pastry crsut (it will be very full) and scatter the rest of the nutmeg all over, then dot with the softened butter and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the filling is golden brown, firm in the center and slightly puffed up. Serve either warm or as I like it, served cold.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Source: Cookbook author, Delia Smith
Date: February 27, 2003

Reviews

Reviewer: dooo
Rating: 
 
Reviewer: gertie gainey
Rating: 
Review:

 
Reviewer: gertie gainey
Rating: 
 

Add Your Review

  YOUR NAME (required)
  YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS (required)
 (Excellent)
 (Very Good)
 (Good)
 (Could be Better)
 (Poor)
   RATING (required)
YOUR REVIEW:

More Recipes in this Section

All-American Apple Pie Apple and Pear Pie Apple Caramel Cheesecake Pie with Toasted Pecans Apple Cider Pie Apple Galette Apple Slices Apple Tarte Tatin Apricot Pie Autumn Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie Bartlett Pear Pie Blueberries 'n Cream Pie Blueberry Lattice Pie Blueberry-Almond Tart Blueberry-Apple Streusel Pie Blueberry-Peach Galettes Boiled Cider Pie Buttermilk Pie Buttermilk Pie Canadian Maple Sugar Pie Caramel Apple Pie Cashew Nut Tart Cherry Pie Cherry Pie with Cream Cheese Pastry Crust Chocolate Brandy Pie Chocolate Buttermilk Pie Chocolate Chip-Walnut Pie Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie Chocolate Cream Pie Chocolate Mallow Pie Chocolate Meringue Pie Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pie Chocolate Silk Pie Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie Coconut & Lime Cream Cheese Pie Coconut Cream Meringue Pie Coconut Custard Pie Coconut Custard Pie with Whipped Cream Topping Coconut Pie Coffee Toffee Pie Cranberry Raisin-Apple Pie Cream Cheese Pie Cream pie Creamy Lemon Meringue Pie Crunchy Apple Pie Crustless Egg Custard Pie Decadent Chocolate Ganache Pie Dutch Apricot Pie Early American Buttermilk Pie Easy as Pie Easy Date and Coconut Pie Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Easy Pie Filling Egg Custard Pie Famous Pumpkin Pie French Apple Tart French Apple Tart Fresh Blueberry Pie Fresh Cherry Cobbler Fresh Fruit Tartlets Fresh Lemon Curd Tart Fresh Lemon Meringue Pie Fresh Raspberry Pie Fresh Raspberry Tart with Lemon Filling Fresh Strawberry Pie Garvin's Delectable Sweet Potato Pie Grandma's Rhubarb Pie Grandma's Apple Pie Grandma's Fresh Cherry Pie Grape Pie Heavenly Peanut Butter Pie
Heavenly Peanut Butter Pie Individual Nectarine Tarts Innkeeper Pie Key Lime Pie Key West Key Lime Pie Lattice Cherry Pie Latticed Peach Pie with Peach Brandy Lattice-Top Mulberry or Blackberry Pie Lemon Apple Chess Pie Lemon Meringue Pie Lemon Pie Lemon Tart Lemon Tart with a Lemon Pecan Crust Lemon-Buttermilk Meringue Pie Lime Custard Tart L'orange and Citron Cream Cheese Tarte Macadamia Nut Pineapple Tart Margarita Key Lime Pie Microwave Sour Cream Lemon Pie Milky Way Tarts Mississippi Mud Pie No-Bake Lemon Cream Tart Old Fashion Fresh Apricot Pie Old Time Chess Pie Old-Fashion Apple Pie Old-Fashion Blueberry Pie Old-Fashion Fruit Tart Old-Fashion Pecan Pie Old-Fashion Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Old-Fashioned English Custard Tart Oven Fried Apple Pies Peach Custard Pie Peach-Blackberry Pie Peanut Butter Pie Pear and Almond Cream Tart Pear and Almond Tart Pear Praline Pie Pear Tarte Tatin Pecan Streusel Apricot Pie Plum Galette Plum Pie Augusto Puff Pastry Apple Tart Quick & Easy Dessert Ramona's Pecan Pie Raspberry Sour Cream Tart Recipe for Cookie Crumb Crust Rhubarb Cream Pie Rum Raisin Apple Pie Rustic Apple Pie Rustic Chocolate Raspberry Heart Tart Scrumptious Strawberry Tart Shoofly Pie Sour Cream Raisin Pie Southern Fried Fruit Pies Spiced Peach Galettes Strawberry Almond Chocolate Tart Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Strawberry Hazelnut Tart Strawberry S'More Tart Streusel-Topped Apple Tart Summer Cherry Pie Summer Tart Sweet Potato Pie The Original Apple Pie Very Lemon Pie Vinegar Pie Walnut Chocolate Chip Pie Walnut Fudge Pie White Chocolate and Blueberry Tart Worlds Best Apple Pie