Portuguese custard tarts

Portuguese custard tarts Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

Finely roll out the puff pastry. Sprinkle over the sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Fold up the pastry and roll out again. Form the pastry into a log shape.

Finely slice the pastry into 10 thin round slices.

Press the pastry slices into a greased 10-tartlet patty tin, pricking the base of each pastry case 6. 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. 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. Serve the tarts with cream if desired, stirring now and then to prevent a skin from forming. Real Cork recommends: enjoy with LBV Port or Reserve Ruby