Red Currant Custard Tart
Fresh red currants baked into silky vanilla custard inside a crisp, lemon-scented tart shell
Last week it was a high of 18°C, and now I’m staring out the window at what looks like a full-on blizzard, with the wind chill making it feel like -5. But inside, I’m perfectly content with a slice of this tart and a cup of chamomile tea.
This is my favourite tart dough recipe, rich, buttery, and tender, with just a hint of bright lemon. It makes two perfect shells, so I always have one tucked away in the freezer, ready for whenever I’m in the baking mood. The custard filling is silky and creamy, while the fresh red currants cut through the richness in the best way, adding just the right pop of tang to every bite.
Sweet Tart Dough
Enough for 2 tarts
Ingredients
250g all-purpose flour
130g icing sugar
110g unsalted butter, soft
1 egg
Zest of 1 lemon
1g fine sea salt
Instructions
In a bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, icing sugar, butter and lemon zest until butter is mostly incorporated, until the mixture resembles coarse sand with no large butter pieces. You can also pulse everything in a food processor. Then add the egg and mix until just combined.
Divide the dough in half. Wrap one portion tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for another tart. Wrap the second portion and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so it firms up.
Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the chilled dough until large enough to line your tart tin.
Lift the dough into the tart pan, gently pressing it into the corners. Trim the edges neatly.
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C fan). Scrunch a piece of baking paper (or foil) and place it inside the chilled tart shell. Fill to the rim with rice, beans or baking weights and bake 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is set and lightly brown. Remove the weights; if the base seems underbaked, return weights for 10 more minutes, then bake 10 minutes without weights until fully cooked.