Portuguese Custard Tarts

Mateo's favourite

Makes:	12 tarts
Preheat Oven:	200°C
Individual tart moulds, silicon preferred:	12

Pastry
1 pkg (32cm) puff pastry (already rolled) 1 pkg of cupcake papers 1 pkg of dried beans or pastry weights	Cut out 12 9cm diameter circles and place in moulds Place cupcake paper on top of pastry Fill each mould with dried beans. This will prevent pastry from rising Bake for 20 minutes then remove from oven Remove beans and cupcake paper Reduce oven to 180°C

Filling
1 tbsp. cornstarch 1 ½ cups (375ml) whole cream 1 cup sugar ½ vanilla bean (whole, not scraped)	In a saucepan, combine cornstarch, cream, sugar and vanilla bean Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly
6 egg yolks	Place egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly whisk ½ cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks Gradually add egg yolks to saucepan, whisking constantly Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened Remove vanilla bean Fill pastry cups with mixture and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges of the custard are puffed and middle is still a little jiggley Remove from oven. With blow torch, caramelise top of each tart Cool completely then remove from moulds. Best eaten the same day