Classic vanilla custard tart

With a biscuity orange-almond pastry shell and smooth, silky custard filling, this is the perfect custard tart.

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1:20 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 egg, for brushing
• whole nutmeg, for grating

Orange almond pâte sablée

• 180 g caster sugar
• 100 g (1 cup) almond meal
• 260 g (1 ¾ cup) plain flour
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ½ orange, zest finely grated
• 200 g cold unsalted butter
• 1 small egg

Custard

• 3 large eggs
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 500 ml (2 cups) thickened cream
• 60 ml (¼ cup) milk

Chilling and cooling time: 2 hours.

Instructions

1. To make the pastry, place all the ingredients except the egg into a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks sandy in texture. Add the egg and pulse just until the mixture comes together. Tip the dough onto a clean bench top and shape into a roughly 2 cm-thick disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, to make the custard, gently whisk the eggs and sugar together until just combined. Stir in the remaining custard ingredients and set aside until needed.
3. Preheat a fan forced oven to 170 ̊C. Grease a 25 cm tart tin with a removable base and line the base with baking paper. Alternatively, you can use 4 to 6 individual tart tins about 10 cm round.
4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until 4 mm thick, then use it to line the base and sides of the prepared tart tin/s. Make sure to gently press the pastry into the corners, then against the edge of the tin to pinch away any excess. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork at 4 cm intervals, then chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
5. Place the chilled pastry case/s on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. As soon as it emerges from the oven, brush the bottom with a double layer of egg wash, then stand until cooled to at least room temperature. Reduce the oven temperature to 90 ̊C - 100 ̊C.
6. Carefully pour the custard into the tart case, making sure you don’t spill any over the sides, then bake for 1 hour or until just set (very wobbly). Remove from the oven and finely grate nutmeg over the top. Chill until the custard has set, then cut with a hot knife to serve.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.