Egg Custard Tart

• Serves 6 - 8
• Preparation time: 30 mins
• Cooking time: 35 mins

• Ingredients

• Pastry Base

• 8 oz (225g) Plain flour
• 2 oz (50g) butter
• 2 oz (50g) lard
• pinch of salt
• water to bind together
  
  
• Filling

• 6 medium egg yolks
• 3.5 oz (85g) caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 500 ml whipping cream
• 2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp rose water
• 1 level tsp arrowroot
  
  
• Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 190C, gas mark 5.
• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter and lard.
• When the mixture looks crumbly, carefully add the water, a little at a time.
• Bring the mixture together with your hands to form a smooth ball.
• Rest the pastry in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry and line the dish, brush the base of the pastry with a little beaten egg.
• Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until cooked through.
• Lower the oven temperature to 160C, gas mark 3.
• Pour the cream into a small saucepan and add the split vanilla pod (to split the pod, slice it with a knife along its length), then bring to the boil.
• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together for 1 minute and then add the arrowroot.
• Pour on the boiling cream and stir well.
• Add the rose water.
• Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
• Pour the mixture into the pastry case and carefully place in the oven.
• Cook until set but wobbly, this will be approximately 30 minutes.
• When cooked remove from the oven and grate over the nutmeg.
• Leave to cool and chill well, preferably overnight.