Custard tartlets

Method

• step 1

  Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Stamp out 12 × 8cm discs with a cutter and line a 12-hole mini-muffin tin (available from good cookshops and lakeland.co.uk). Prick the bases with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.

• step 2

  Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and put in a baking sheet.

• step 3

  Line each of the tartlets with a small square of foil and 1 tsp of rice. Put on the heated baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until golden. Cool.

• step 4

  To make the custard, whisk together the egg yolk, sugar and cornflour in a small bowl. Heat the crème fraîche and the split vanilla pod in a small saucepan until just below boiling point. Pour the hot crème fraîche over the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Return the custard mixture to the pan over a low heat. Stir constantly until the custard thickens and just starts to bubble. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, discard the vanilla pod and cover the surface of the custard with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming.

• step 5

  To make the pistachio praline, put the caster sugar and 2 tbsp water in a small pan over a low heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and continue to cook, without stirring, until the caramel turns pale amber.

• step 6

  Add the pistachios and cook until the caramel turns deep amber coloured. Remove from the heat and tip onto a greased baking sheet to cool. When cold, chop into pieces.

• step 7

  Fill the tart shells with the custard and top with the pistachio praline, blueberries or slivers of candied orange and lemon zest.