This was one of the first things that I wanted to make when
my husband got me the cookbook Baking
with Dorie. I’m glad I finally got to try the recipe! It’s fairly a
straightforward recipe especially because I used ready-made puff pastry dough. I
did use both 2 tablespoons rum and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract in this recipe
and it was delicious.
The few key things to note about this recipe are:
1.
it takes time to plan ahead because the
custard needs at least 30 min at room temp and at least 1 hour chilled in
fridge. After baking, then the cooled tart has to be in the fridge for at least
1 hour.
2.
if using puff pastry, then you need to
remember to thaw pastry. I used Lidle puff pastry sheets which are cut into small
rectangles. I rolled the sheets before using them. After spraying my
spring-form pan with baking spray, I laid the rolled puff pastry sheets into the
pan. I had to patch up the puff pastry sheets and made sure to cover the whole pan.
I ended up using 4 small rectangular sheets. You should try to make sure the
overlapping sheets are secure. Otherwise, the filling will leak through and
could burn.
3.
it’s
important to make sure to cook the custard so it is thick enough because I saw
some reviews of watery custard.
Parisian
Custard Tart Recipe on Food52 (~adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook
Baking
with Dorie)
Ingredients
Custard
Tart
- 3 cups (720 ml) whole milk (sometimes
only use 2% milk but this time used whole milk)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (43 grams) cornstarch
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons dark rum (or an additional 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 sheet puff pastry (at least 8½ ounces; 240 grams), preferably
all-butter, defrosted if necessary, or 1 recipe All-Purpose Tart Dough
(see below), rolled into a 12- to 13-inch round and chilled if necessary
All-Purpose
Tart Dough (used Lidl ready-made puff pastry sheets, which come in
small rectangular sheets)
- 1 1/4 cups (170 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons; 3 ounces; 85 grams) very cold unsalted
butter, cut into bits
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon ice water
Directions
1.
Custard Tart
2.
To make the filling: Give a
medium heavy-bottomed saucepan a quick rinse with cold water, but don’t dry the
pan (this will help prevent the milk from scorching), then pour in the milk and
water. Stir in half of the granulated sugar and bring just to a boil—keep an
eye on it: Once the milk boils, it’s just a nanosecond before it bubbles over
the pot and makes a mess. Remove the pan from the heat.
3.
While the liquids are
heating, whisk together the rest of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar and
cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the eggs and whisk energetically to blend well.
Put the bowl on a folded kitchen towel or a silicone pot holder to anchor it.
Whisking the sugar-egg mixture nonstop, drizzle in about one quarter of the hot
liquid. Then, still whisking, pour in the rest in a steadier stream.
4.
Rinse the saucepan (no need
to be thorough) and pour the custard mixture into it. Set the pan over medium
heat and, whisking without stopping and making sure that the whisk reaches
every part of the pan, including the corners, cook the custard until the first
bubble rises to the top and pops, at which point the custard will be noticeably
thicker and your whisk will leave tracks. Lower the heat a bit and cook and
stir for another minute or two, your insurance that the custard is sufficiently
cooked and that the cornstarch won’t taste raw. (Cooked
~ 3 min after started boiling)
5.
Scrape the custard into a
clean bowl and stir in the rum, if you’re using it, and vanilla. Press a piece
of plastic wrap against the surface and let the custard sit at room temperature
for about 30 minutes; stir now and then if you’re around.
6.
Put the bowl in the
refrigerator and chill the custard for at least 1 hour. Better yet, let it get
thoroughly cold. You can speed the process by placing the custard bowl in a
larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water—come back to the bowl now and
then to stir until it’s cold. (The custard can be refrigerated in an airtight
container overnight.)
7.
To make the crust: Butter a
9-inch springform pan (if your pan is 9½ inches, that’s fine).
8.
If you’re using puff pastry,
roll it out into a round that’s 12 to 13 inches in diameter (see headnote); if
you’re using tart dough, you’re all set. Using your hands or rolling the pastry
up around your pin to make it easier, position the pastry over the pan. Gently
ease it into the pan and press it against the bottom and up the sides. You’re
aiming for the dough to come about 1½ inches up the sides. If the edges are
ragged and uneven, just leave them—they’ll get trimmed later. Put the pan in
the refrigerator until ready to use; when the crust is firm, cover it tightly.
9.
When you're ready to bake,
preheat the oven to 425°F.
10. Remove the custard from the fridge and whisk it
a bit to loosen it, then scrape it into the pastry-lined springform pan and
smooth the top. Using a table knife, trim the dough so that it reaches just
about ½ inch above the custard.
11. Bake the tart for 50 to 55 minutes (baked
50 min), or until the top of the custard is dark, dark brown—if it looks
black in places, that’s great and most authentic. It won’t be brown all over,
though, and it might bubble and mound in places. If you get bubbles, you can
prick them with the tip of a knife or just leave them.
12. Transfer the pan to a rack and wait for 5
minutes, then, if some of the custard has risen above the crust and stuck to
the sides of the pan, run a table knife gently between the pan and the custard.
Let the flan cool to room temperature, then cover it lightly and refrigerate
it. It’s best if you can chill it overnight, but that’s not always
convenient—give it as much time as you can.
13. When you’re ready to serve, remove the sides of
the springform and if you’d like, lift the tart off the base and onto a serving
platter (if it’s easier, leave it on the base). You can serve it cold, at room
temperature or at any temp in between. Cut into wedges and serve with a
fork...or don’t. When you’re having the tart as a snack, do as Parisians do:
Eat it out of hand.
14. Covered tightly, the tart will keep for about 3
days in the fridge. Make sure to keep it away from foods with strong odors.
1.
All-Purpose Tart Dough
2.
Put the flour, sugar and salt
in a food processor and pulse to blend. Scatter over the pieces of butter. You
want to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got some pieces
the size of oatmeal flakes and others the size of peas. Work in long pulses—you
might need as many as 20—and scrape the bowl often. Stir the egg and water
together and add in 3 additions, pulsing after each. Then pulse until the dough
just starts to come together, forms moist curds and clumps and holds together
when pinched.
3.
Turn the dough out onto a
work surface, knead into a compact ball and flatten into a disk, then sandwich
between sheets of parchment. Roll the dough into an 11-inch round. If it’s cold
enough, fit it into a 9- to 9½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom or
into a pie pan, prick the bottom with a fork and trim the top even with the
pan’s rim. If it’s not cold, chill it until it’s workable and then proceed.
Refrigerate the crust in the pan for at least 1 hour.
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