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Tag Archives: tarts

Quick Portguese Custard Tarts

17 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by Fabric of Madness in Desserts, Uncategorized

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custard, dessert, pastry, quick, tarts

Ok so this feels like the cartoon version of a seriously good piece of literature.  But there are times that you don’t want to spend hours preparing a tasty treat, and once again that rolled around for me last night.  Another rugby game,  cannelloni in the oven for the main and I thought at half time what better than a little tarty treat.     The trick was to precook during the afternoon then fill and heat quickly at the beginning of half time.   Not only did it all work perfectly but the ABs managed a spectacular record breaking win against the South Africans.   A great night then.

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These tarts would be perfect when you have a load of people, and want something quick and easy.   You can play around with the filling.  This one was total cheat from start to finish – but Jamie Oliver has a lovely quick custard filling that is not out of a box – I haven’t tried it,  but just might next time I make these.  Jamie Oliver’s trick with the cinnamon I did use, and boy it is definitely going to be repeated – legend.  Go here for Jamie Oliver’s take, which I just tweaked a little.  (It is so refreshing to watch him in action – so much energy).   Easy too to just add a little something in the middle before you fill with custard (maybe a raspberry, maybe a little chocolate), or finely grate some lemon peel and add it to the custard.

Recipe –  for six small tarts

Take one sheet of sweet short pastry.  (You can also use puff – we just happened to have short).   If it is frozen then allow to sit on bench for around 15 minutes until it has softened.   Sprinkle cinnamon all over the pastry and then roll up into a log shape.   Cut the log into 2, then cut each piece into 3.     Take one of the pieces, push it down with your palm so it is rounded.   You should be able to put that into a small muffin tin so that the pastry comes up the sides.  Squish it around until it fills the space.   Do that with all of the other 5 pieces.  Prick the bottoms of the pastry and then put in fridge for around 15 minutes (or more – it can fit in with whatever timetable you are working to).  Put oven on to around 180C, and when ready put pastry/muffin tin into the oven.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes.  Watch them – I just about lost mine as they were ready earlier than I had thought  –  so our pastry cases ended up quite crunchy –  but still great.

When you take the cases out of the oven you will probably have to push down the pastry with the back of a teaspoon (or fingers – go on – be honest – it’s easier).  You could of course fill each tart with a piece of baking paper and then use some baking beans to hold the pastry down while you cook it. (I preferred just to have another glass of wine).  Once cool take the pastries out of the pan and store.

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Just out of the oven – you can see they are just slightly too browned – but luckily not burnt!

When ready to serve pop cases back onto an oven tray,  open a packet of your favourite ready-made custard and pour into pastry cases until level with the top of the case.  Put into a warm oven (around 140C) for about 15 minutes – you want to gently heat them – not overcook the pastry cases.     When ready top with sifted icing sugar, or any other special treat that takes your fancy.   Some grated chocolate could be good.   Voilà. Done.

 

 

 

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Potato and Onion Tart with Walnut Parmesan topping

01 Sunday May 2016

Posted by Fabric of Madness in Dinner, Pies, Vegetables, Walnuts

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Tags

onions, parmesan, pastry, potatoes, tarts, vegetables, walnuts

What to cook? It’s Sunday night. Don’t feel like meat, but know that Mr MWCED will want something a little substantial after soup last night. I settled on this tart because we had the ingredients and I found one recipe that suggested a walnut and parmesan topping, which is perfect because we have a new round of walnuts and will need to start using them. Ok so I cheated and used prepared pastry, you could make your own of course.

This will make four tarts, we ate 2 and can freeze the other 2. As no-one else is going to say it I will have to, “they were delicious”. I could have cut into another – but held back – after all I need to make sure there is something in the freezer for Mr MWCED when I go tripping off to Brisbane next weekend.

This makes 4 pies.

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1-1/4 sheet ready rolled shortcrust pastry sheet
3 onions finely sliced, sweat in 20g butter
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
3 small potatoes finely sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
salt and cracked black pepper
20g finely grated parmesan
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/4 cup sour cream you could use cream, but we never buy cream so this was what we had in the fridge
50g walnuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan

1. Put walnuts onto an oven tray and bake at around 180 Celsius for around 10 minutes. Take out of oven and cool. Blitz in the food processor, or finely chop and add parmesan. Set aside.
2. Prepare pastry – put into pie molds and place in fridge for around 20 minutes.
3. Heat butter in pan and sweat onions for around 15 minutes. Add brown sugar. Add potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes – until potatoes are soft – this will depend on how thin you slice them! Also add thyme at this point and salt and pepper to taste. Once the onions and potatoes have carmalised then take from heat and cool.
4. Break eggs and add to bowl with sour cream and parmesan. Mix until well combined.
5. Take pie molds out of fridge. Add spinach to bottom of pies, then fill with potato and onion mix.
6. Fill carefully with the egg and sour cream mix, try not to get liquid on outside of pastry (but don’t fret too much if a little liquid goes outside of the pastry – just not too much – otherwise the pastry won’t become nice and crusty)
7. Top with the walnut and parmesan mix.
8. Place in oven and cook until pastry and topping is crisp and egg mixture is no longer runny. Can be between 15 and 30 minutes – depending on your oven.
9. Carefully take out of molds and serve with a crisp green salad.

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Yowzer, these were Very Delicious. I think they are a Winner. And they might just get me out of Jail while I swan around in Brisbane next week and Mr MWCED has to stay at home.

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