Professor Butter Beard’s Portuguese Custard Tarts
2 Dozen Tarts
Dough:
One package of your favorite frozen puff pastry dough (I know, I know…. But do you really want to make your own puff pastry?)
Custard:
2 ½ cups whole milk, divided
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
12 large egg yolks (save the whites to make an Angel Food Cake)
2 tsp vanilla paste
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
Cinnamon, to lightly dust over finished tarts
1) The night before baking, defrost the frozen puff pastry dough. You will use both sheets (Usually, frozen puff pastry packaging contains two prepared sheets).
2) To prepare the custard: Whisk ½ cup of the milk, 6 Tbsp flour and 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt in a large bowl until smooth. Set aside
3) Whisk the dozen egg yolks and vanilla paste together in a second large bowl. Set aside.
4) In a medium saucepan, whisk together the remaining 2 cups milk, 1 cup water and 2 ½ cups granulated sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is just about to simmer. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Then whisk this mixture into the egg yolks until evenly combined. Strain the resulting mixture into a clean bowl. This custard base will be extremely thin. Let the custard rest at room temperature for one hour (up to two hours).
5) Unfold the first defrosted pastry sheet and lightly use a rolling pin to smooth out the creases. Starting at the long side, roll the sheet into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Do the same for the second sheet.
6) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
7) Spray two 12-cup muffin tins with cooking spray. Using a very sharp knife, cut the first log into 12 equal pieces. Place one piece in each muffin cup, cut side up. Using moistened fingers, press the dough pieces evenly into bottoms and up sides of muffin cups until the dough just reaches the top of the cup. Refrigerate this first tin while you prepare the second.
8) When ready to bake, whisk the custard to recombine. Fill your first tin to just below the rim of each cup. Bake until the custard is puffed and spotted dark brown, between 25 and 30 minutes. Repeat with the second tin. You will have extra custard. Go ahead and discard.
9) Let the tarts rest in the tin on a wire rack for five minutes, then remove and cool the tarts on the rack for at least 30 minutes. If desired, lightly dust the top of the tarts with a dash of cinnamon before serving.
