Sugar Plum Tarts
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes a dozen tarts
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375g/13 ozs puff pastry (I used Carême which comes as a thicker pastry)
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2 eggs (or 3 egg yolks if you have spares)
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4 tablespoons caster or superfine sugar
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1 tablespoon cornflour or cornstarch
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200ml full cream milk
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
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12 sugar plums
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small amount of butter for greasing pan
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1 tablespoon icing sugar to dust
You will also need a cupcake tray or 12 small ramekins
Step 1 - Grease the cupcake tray holes with butter so that the tarts don't stick. Then cut out the pastry using a round or fluted pastry cutter-you may want to double up on the sheets if you are using a puff pastry like Pampas which is thinner than Careme. Re-roll scraps to make more rounds. Gently push these rounds into the cavities of the cupcake tray making a concave pastry dish. Place the tray in the refrigerator to rest.
Step 2 - Make the vanilla custard (this can be done ahead of time). Place the eggs, sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and whisk well to combine. Then add the milk and slowly heat, stirring constantly to ensure that the custard doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan and also to create a smooth consistency. Add the vanilla and remove from heat once thick and voluptuous-it shouldn't be runny at all.
Step 3 - Preheat oven to 200C/400F. When ready, take out the cupcake tray from the fridge and dollop in the custard -not too much so that it overflows as you are going to place a whole sugar plum in the centre. The top with the whole sugarplum (you don't need to pierce it or peel it unless you want to). Bake for 20 minutes.
Step 4 - A little tip I have for getting these out: as soon as these are baked and you remove them from the oven, run a sharp knife around the edge to push back the custard which can really stick to the tin when it cools. Dust with icing sugar and serve with a cup of tea or coffee.