This dessert was very fashionable when I was young and can still be found in supermarkets and bakeries. It is easy to make from staples in the cupboards and fridge. Mr S loves them and I wanted to get some brownie points as I need something mending in the garden. We are eating from the pantry and so I made some as a treat for him when I had the oven on the other day. Baked Egg Custards are quite expensive to buy from a bakery, but are frugal and easy to make. This mixture made 3 medium tarts (enough for two people and not the small individual ones). It could have made a large tart (7 or 8 inches across), but I thought that we might eat it all in one go if we did that.
Ingredients
4oz Short crust pastry (that is the weight of the flour)
2 large, or 3 small eggs
Half a pint of milk
I heaped tbsp of sugar
Grated or ground nutmeg (not essential but makes them tastier)
Method
- Put the oven on 200C or 425F.
- Grease and line tin (or tins) with pastry. I have made this in a 7 or 8 inch tart tin before
- Beat the eggs and add to the sugar in a jug.
- Warm the milk slightly (not hot or will make scrambled egg) and add to the eggs and the sugar, stir.
- Put then mixture through a sieve into the tart case. You do not need to blind bake it.
- Sprinkle or grate some nutmeg on the top.
- Put in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes to set the pastry and then for best results reduce the temperature to 160C or 325F (mine is a bit over baked as I could not do this as I was cooking other things like mince pies and bread).
- Cook for a further 20 to 30 minutes, or until the custard is set.
