Mini Egg Custard Tarts

To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl.

Cut the butter and lard into cubes and add to the bowl with the salt. Rub the butter and lard into the flour with your fingertips until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with approximately 1 tablespoon of water all over the mixture and begin blending together with a pallet knife or round bladed knife. Add a little extra water if the mixture is too dry.

Bring the dough together with your hands so it leaves the bowl clean. Cover the pastry in some cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 – 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan, gas mark 5).

Roll out the shortcrust pastry and use it to line six muffin moulds. Chill the pastry cases in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Line the pastry cases with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes.

Remove the pastry cases from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 150ºC (130°C fan, gas mark 2).

Meanwhile, prepare the custard filling. Beat the egg yolks and egg in a bowl then add the sugar, vanilla extract and honey to the egg mixture and beat well. Pour the cream into a pan and heat to the point where tiny bubbles form around the edges and a bit of a skin forms on the surface, but do not boil.

Pour the hot cream onto the egg mixture, whisking well as you do so, and stir well. Strain the custard mixture into a jug. Brush the inside of the pastry cases with egg white. Pour the custard into tarts and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.

Bake for one hour until set, remove and allow to cool to room temperature. Serve hot or cold sprinkled with extra grated nutmeg.