Strawberry custard tarts

Babiche Martens

There are hundreds of strawberry tart recipes. These tarts are summery and perfect for a picnic or a delicious dessert. Custard is very versatile; you can keep it in the fridge as a standby then, when ready, throw it into a pastry case, top with your strawberries and enjoy. You can make one big tart or individual tartlets.

To use custard in other ways, try folding through some whipped cream, or add 70g melted chocolate for a delectable treat. For a coffee custard, add a teaspoon of strong coffee to the milk when heating.

Pastry

200 g	Flour
2 tsp	Caster sugar
120 g	Butter
1	Egg yolk
2 Tbsp	Water, cold

Custard

250 ml	Milk
½	Vanilla pods, split, or ¼ tsp vanilla
3	Egg yolks
50 g	Caster sugar
1 Tbsp	Flour
1 Tbsp	Cornflour
1 punnet	Strawberries (Main)
2 Tbsp	Strawberry jam, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. To make pastry, place flour, sugar and butter into a kitchen processor. Blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Blitz to form a ball of dough. If it is a little dry add more water. Place dough into fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Roll dough on a lightly floured bench. Roll and line 6 x 9cm tart tins. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.
4. To make custard, bring milk to boil with vanilla pod, then remove from heat and allow it to infuse for 5 minutes. Remove vanilla pod.
5. Beat egg yolks and sugar until light and pale. Add flours and beat until smooth. Pour milk slowly into egg mixture, beating until it is a smooth cream.
6. Pour custard back into clean pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until it thickens. If lumps form remove from heat, whisk till smooth and return to heat until the custard is thick and silky. Pour in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to cool completely.
7. Spoon cooled custard into prepared tart tins. Cut strawberries into slices and decorate tarts. Brush gently with jam to glaze.