Chocolate Portuguese Custard Tarts
School holidays are always a relaxing time for me (now that I have learnt to not over book my kids into a million and one activities). Each day we wake up and decide what to do that day, sometimes we go out, sometimes nothing, I do love nothing days, as it means I can spend the day in my pyjamas. There are days I'll arrange things for my kids, but I like to have the flexibility to do things spontaneously.
I find every school holidays, I go through my magazine clippings and I just pick 10 new things I want to try, usually lunches and desserts. Now that my kids are older 13, 12 and 8, I have more 'free' time at home, as they aren't as demanding as newborns and toddlers.
Anyway, for Easter I made a Pavlova, so I had 6 egg yolks leftover, and I hate throwing them away, so I decided to make Portuguese Custard Tarts. The recipe only needs 3 egg yolks, I had six so I doubled the recipe, but then I thought why make them all vanilla, why not try chocolate. So before I got to the adding vanilla stage, I divided the custard into 2 bowls, added vanilla extract to one and chocolate to the other. We loved the chocolate ones (we also love the vanilla ones) but the chocolate ones were great.
I find every school holidays, I go through my magazine clippings and I just pick 10 new things I want to try, usually lunches and desserts. Now that my kids are older 13, 12 and 8, I have more 'free' time at home, as they aren't as demanding as newborns and toddlers.
Anyway, for Easter I made a Pavlova, so I had 6 egg yolks leftover, and I hate throwing them away, so I decided to make Portuguese Custard Tarts. The recipe only needs 3 egg yolks, I had six so I doubled the recipe, but then I thought why make them all vanilla, why not try chocolate. So before I got to the adding vanilla stage, I divided the custard into 2 bowls, added vanilla extract to one and chocolate to the other. We loved the chocolate ones (we also love the vanilla ones) but the chocolate ones were great.
So here is my first 'new' recipe for the holidays. I have even made the pastry simpler in this recipe, as it is holidays, I'm supposed to be relaxed, but it does use more pastry sheets this way than following the method used in my Portuguese custard tart recipe, so it is up to you.
Recipe
Makes 12 large or 24 small tarts.
3 egg yolks
110g caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
230ml thickened cream
170ml milk
50g dark chocolate, chopped
3 sheets ready rolled puff pastry
3 egg yolks
110g caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
230ml thickened cream
170ml milk
50g dark chocolate, chopped
3 sheets ready rolled puff pastry
Put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a medium saucepan and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the cream and milk until smooth.
Place over a medium heat, cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from heat. Add in the chocolate and whisk until all the chocolate has melted.
Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with cling film, make sure the cling film is touching the surface of the custard to stop the custard from forming a skin, allow to cool. I actually prefer to leave the custard in the saucepan and whisk every now and then, while I prepare the pastry. This also makes the custard cool much quicker and whisking it stops a skin forming on the custard.
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan forced. Lightly grease a 12-hole 80ml muffin tin or a 24-hole 30ml cupcake tin.
Cut out 12 x 10cm rounds out of the pastry or 24 x 6cm rounds. After you cut the first round, test it fits into your tin, the pastry needs to go up a little above the sides of the holes.
Press the pastry rounds carefully into your prepared tins.
Place over a medium heat, cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from heat. Add in the chocolate and whisk until all the chocolate has melted.
Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with cling film, make sure the cling film is touching the surface of the custard to stop the custard from forming a skin, allow to cool. I actually prefer to leave the custard in the saucepan and whisk every now and then, while I prepare the pastry. This also makes the custard cool much quicker and whisking it stops a skin forming on the custard.
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan forced. Lightly grease a 12-hole 80ml muffin tin or a 24-hole 30ml cupcake tin.
Cut out 12 x 10cm rounds out of the pastry or 24 x 6cm rounds. After you cut the first round, test it fits into your tin, the pastry needs to go up a little above the sides of the holes.
Press the pastry rounds carefully into your prepared tins.
Spoon the cooled custard evenly out into your pastry cases. Do not overfill, as they do rise during the baking process. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry and custard are golden.
Enjoy!