Sweet Custard Tart with Poached Prunes by Michel Roux, The Waterside Inn, Bray

[Dom O]

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SERVES 6

Ingredients

Flan pastry

250g plain flour
125g butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened
1 egg
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp fine salt
40ml cold water

Filling

260g flan pastry
5 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
20g plain flour
15g custard powder
400ml milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

To serve

16 prunes (preferably Agen), pitted
150g caster sugar
100g candied orange peel sticks (optional)

 

Method

Flan pastry

Heap the flour on the work surface and make a well. Put the butter, egg, sugar and salt in the middle. With your fingertips, mix and cream the ingredients in the well.
Now, little by little, draw the flour into the centre and work the dough with your fingertips to a grainy texture. Add the cold water and mix it in until the dough begins to hold together.
Using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you 4 or 5 times until it is smooth. Roll the pastry into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate until ready to use.
Roll out the pastry to a round, 3mm thick, and use to line a 20cm diameter (3.5cm deep) flan ring. Crimp the pastry border with your index finger and thumb. Chill for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/Gas 5. Prick the base of the pastry case. Bake the case blind, for 15 minutes. Set aside. Increase the oven setting to 200ºC/Gas 6.

Filling

Meanwhile, for the filling, whisk the egg yolks with one-third of the sugar in a bowl. Add the flour and custard powder and whisk thoroughly.
Heat the milk with the rest of the sugar and the vanilla pod in a heavy-based pan. As soon as it comes to the boil, pour on to the egg yolk mixture, stirring well, then return to the pan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring continuously with the whisk. Allow the custard to bubble, still stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod.
Spread the hot custard in the flan case and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden on the surface. Carefully slide on a wire rack, lift off the ring and leave to cool completely.

For the prunes

Dissolve the sugar in 150ml water in a pan over a medium heat. Add the prunes and poach gently for 2 - 6 minutes, depending on size and softness, until tender.
Serve the tart with the poached prunes and candied orange peel if you like.

Credit

From: Pastry; Savoury & Sweet by Michel Roux, Quadrille Press, £14.99, Photograph by Martin Brigdale