Egg Custard Tarts

By á-170456

Ingredients

• PASTRY DOUGH:
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening chilled
• 1/4 cup butter chilled
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons ice water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• FILLING:
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Details

Servings 14

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare dough: Place flour in a food processor. Cut shortening and butter into 1/2-inch chunks and distribute over flour. Process with on-off bursts until fat particles are the size of peas. Add egg, ice water, and vanilla. Process until mixture just begins to form a ball. (Do not process completely to the ball stage, and don't worry if dough has shortening streaks in it.) Remove dough, shape into a patty 1-inch thick, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Prepare filling: In a small pan, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves; let cool. In a bowl, beat eggs slightly. Whisk in sugar-water syrup, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract, blending until smooth.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. On a lightly floured board, roll out pastry to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into fourteen 4-inch circles (reroll scraps and cut again if necessary). Fit circles into 2 1/2-inch tart pans. Lightly press dough into bottoms and sides of pans; trim edges.

Pour filling into pastry-lined pans to within 1/4-inch of top. Place filled pans on a baking sheet; bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Place pans on rack; let cool for 10 minutes. Remove tarts from pans. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe yields 14 tarts.