Dan Tat

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220°C. Lightly grease 2 standard muffin cups or 2 tart moulds with the unsalted butter. Lightly dust the work surface with plain flour.

2. 2

   Unroll the ready-made all-butter puff pastry and, if soft, chill it for 2 to 3 minutes so it is easier to handle. Cut 2 circles large enough to line the moulds, then press them in gently without stretching. Chill the lined moulds for 5 minutes; this helps the pastry keep its shape and puff evenly.

3. 3

   Make the custard: in a bowl, whisk the whole egg and egg yolk gently until combined but not frothy. Warm the whole milk just until barely steaming, then stir in the caster sugar, vanilla extract, and fine salt until the sugar dissolves.

4. 4

   Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the eggs while whisking gently. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a jug; this removes bubbles and gives the filling its signature silky texture.

5. 5

   Place the chilled pastry shells on a baking tray. Fill each shell about 80 to 85% full with custard so there is room for slight expansion in the oven.

6. 6

   Bake for 10 minutes at 220°C, then reduce the oven to 190°C and bake for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the pastry is deep golden and the custard is just set with a slight wobble in the centre. If the custard balloons, it is slightly overbaked, so check early.

7. 7

   Let the tarts rest in the tin for 5 minutes to finish setting, then carefully lift them out and serve warm. The pastry should be crisp and flaky, and the custard smooth and delicate.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Using ready-made all-butter puff pastry makes this beginner-friendly and keeps the recipe within 30 minutes.
• •Straining the custard is the easiest way to achieve a smooth, bakery-style filling.
• •For the cleanest top, avoid whisking too vigorously; excess bubbles can cause the surface to blister.
• •These are best eaten warm on the day they are baked, when the pastry is at its crispest.

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