Portuguese Custard Tarts

Portuguese Custard Tarts

Do we hope that our children will follow in our footsteps or do we hope for better for them? I would have to say that I am one of those kinds of mothers who, like many, only want our children to be happy and healthy. If our kids have a genuine kindness and regard for others then they are on their way to a good life. My daughter has surpassed me in almost every way. I have to say, as many of you would as well, my kid has turned out pretty well.

She has a love for cooking and trying new things just like mom but surpasses me even there. Yes I am tooting her horn here because I am a very proud mamma. In a few short weeks she is off to her 4th year of university with at least 3 more years to go if she gets into the dietetics program.

Tonight she is making a dinner for a friend who is missing his family that live in another part of the province. He is of a Portuguese background so she opted for a menu featuring Piri Piri Chicken. She was at work today (and I was not) so I volunteered to make dessert. Liz and Sue Sweny's recipe for these dainty, caramelized custard tarts comes from UKTV . Instead of using the traditional caramel on top as the recipe suggests I added fresh "forest fruits" (as I have seen they call them in Europe)...blackberries and blueberries. Now I am tooting my own horn because these are very good!!!!!

Look at the size of those blackberries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!These tarts are the size of muffin tins to give you an idea.
I am entering this into Ben of What's Cooking event I Love Baking which you can find at his forum. Ben is a talented cook that cooks many innovative and exceptional dishes from his home in the States. He cooks from the heart with a vast knowledge of Mexican cuisine that he learned cooking beside his family at their restaurant in Mexico City. If you haven't yet come across Ben in your blogging travels just head on over for so many healthy tips, delicious recipes and Tupperware!!!

**Portuguese Custard Tarts**

For the pastry:

250g puff pastry
4 tablespoons caster (granulated) sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk, beaten

For the custard:

6 large organic eggs
6 tablespoons clear honey
2 vanilla pods
grated zest of 1 orange
600 mL double cream (whipping cream)

For the caramel:

6 tablespoons caster (granulated) sugar
3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6./400 F.

Finely roll out the puff pastry. Sprinkle over the sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Fold up the pastry in half lengthwise and roll out again. Using a cookie cutter cut the pastry into 10 thin round slices. Press the pastry slices into a greased 10-tartlet cupcake/tatty tin, pricking the base with the times of a fork of each pastry case. Line each pastry case with greaseproof paper. Fill each case two-thirds full with baking beans. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans. Brush the pastry cases with beaten egg and bake for a further 4-6 minutes at 180°C/gas 4/350 F. If the pastry has risen too much even after pricking it with the tines of a fork I press the centre of the tarts down with the back of a spoon to allow me to add as much filling as possible. Cool the pastry cases on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the custard. Whisk together the eggs and honey until thick and pale. Place the cream in a heavy-based saucepan. Slice open the vanilla pods lengthways and scrape out the vanilla seeds into the cream. Stir in the orange zest. Heat the cream to boiling point. Whisking as you do so, gradually pour the hot cream into the egg mixture and mix well. Pour the egg and cream mixture into the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens into a custard. Take care not to let it come to the boil. Strain into a bowl.

Divide the custard among the pastry tart cases and set aside to cool.

In a small saucepan, heat together the sugar and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until the syrup caramelises and turns a deep golden brown. Drizzle the hot caramel over the custard tarts.

UPDATE

These are the bottles of wine that L'il Burnt Toasts friend gave to me for making this dessert for him...he works at Calona Wines.