Portuguese Custard Tarts

 

Portuguese Custard Tarts-10

Well hello there! Remember me? It’s suddenly been more than three years since my last post, don’t ask me how that happened. For now let’s discuss these Portuguese Custard Tarts. This is a recipe that I have been playing around with a for a few years, and after many trials (I made 3 batches this week!), I think I have finally cracked it. I’ve combined various elements of multiple recipes to create my favourite type of tart; a crunchy caramelised surface that cracks with the first bite, giving way to a a creamy custard filling that is laced with vanilla bean, cinnamon and orange zest, all encased in a shell of crispy golden pastry (using store-bought puff pastry, because sometimes making pastry from scratch isn’t your priority!!). I’ve included as much detail as possible in the method, to help you master this decadent little treat. You can then eat 5 with a steaming cup of tea, as you mull over your latest isolation realisations…

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Dark Chocolate and Macadamia Tart with Macadamia and Violet Praline

Dark Chocolate Ganache and Macadamia Tart with Violet Macadamia Praline honey salted recipe One Perfect Mess 3

What a week! I woke up last Saturday to a hefty looking spike in my stats, and after doing some sleuthing, I was absolutely giddy to see that visitors were being directed from the wonderful Frankie Magazine website! They ever so kindly published my Raspberry, Coconut and White Chocolate Celebration Cake, and it quite literally made my heart soar. You can see what they had to say about it here. Frankie provide an utter haven for the craft/food/music/DIY minded, and also offer very thought provoking and progressive journalism regarding life, love and other important matters. So I cannot thank them enough for sharing some of my baking with their loyal league of followers.

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Strawberry and Chocolate Tart with an Anzac Biscuit Base

Strawberry and Chocolate Tart with an Anzac Biscuit Base Recipe One Perfect Mess 1

With Anzac Day approaching this Saturday, I thought I’d whip up this tasty little tart with all the egg yolks I had leftover from making swiss meringue buttercream last week! The crunchy, coconutty, buttery biscuit makes a wonderful base for the velvety chocolate crème pâtissière and fresh strawberries. Crème Pâtissière is a staple French custard equivalent, and it’s a little bit magical to watch hot milk, egg yolks, cornflour and sugar come together as you whisk to form a thick, silky cream. Traditionally flavoured with vanilla or chocolate, Crème Pâtissière can be used to fill tarts, cakes or eclairs, but is equally delicious on its own.

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Honey Roasted Fig, Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone Tart

Honey Roasted Fig Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone Tart Recipe One Perfect Mess 6

Something super exciting happened to me the other day. I was at my local fruit and veg shop, loading up on as many ‘reject’ bargains as I could carry, when a big tray of fat black figs by the counter caught my eye. And they were only $20/kg! Usually figs sell for around $4 each, but now that Autumn has hit, this briefly miraculous time of ripe, affordable figs is upon us. It’s time to take advantage of it! This recipe actually only needs 2 fresh figs, but I bought 6 and froze the other 4, so now I just need to decide what my next fig creation will be!

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Honeyed Plum, Almond and Dark Chocolate Tart

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Behold one of the most versatile tart recipes ever. Using Dorie Greenspan’s basic recipes for ‘Sweet Tart Dough’ and ‘Almond Cream’, as found in her legendary book ‘Around my French Table’ (highly recommended), you can create so many variations of this beautifully fruity, rich, silky tart. I used her chocolate variation of the tart shell, and the result is a crumbly, rich, slightly bitter base that is the perfect carrier for this creamy almond frangipane filling, and the juicy plums nestled within. I have soaked the tart in warm honey to finish, which gives an already beautiful dessert an irresistible glow. The tart is rich but very thin, so I found it be the perfect amount of indulgence! Continue reading