Blackberry custard tarts

How can you improve a traditional egg custard tart? We’ve tried by spicing up the pastry with nutmeg and adding berries

  • Prep:30 mins
    Cook:1 hrs
    Plus chilling
  • More effort

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 672
  • fat 45g
  • saturates 20g
  • carbs 56g
  • sugars 20g
  • fibre 3g
  • protein 9g
  • salt 1g

Ingredients

  • 500g pack sweet shortcrust pastry
  • little flour, for dusting
  • good grating nutmeg
  • ¼-½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 200ml double cream
  • 200ml whole milk
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 100g blackberries

Method

  1. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 0.5cm thick. Grate over a dusting of nutmeg using a fine grater, then scatter over the cinnamon in pinches. Roll the pastry a few more rolls to press in the spices. Cut out circles to line 6 x 10cm round, deep-ish individual tart tins, with a little overhang. Sit them on a baking sheet and chill for 30 mins.

  2. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the tart cases with small pieces of scrunched-up baking parchment, fill with baking beans and blind-bake for 15-20 mins until pale golden and set. Remove the paper and beans, and bake for a further 10-15 mins until biscuity. Cool, then trim the edges with a small, sharp serrated knife.

  3. Reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Put the cream, milk and vanilla into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour onto the egg mixture, whisking as you go, then sieve into a jug. Divide the blackberries between the tins, then pour over the custard to fill as much as you can. Grate over some more nutmeg and bake for 20-30 mins. They’ll be ready when the top is set but the centres tremor slightly when the baking sheet is jiggled. Cool completely before eating.

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