Mini baked custard apple tarts

 I can never pass up a recipe with apples.  This one has a baked custard combined with the apples which gives a great creamy taste to the fresh apples.

If you don't want to go to the trouble to make the mini tarts, you can always adjust and bake in one tart pan. If friends are coming over, the mini tarts makes the pies look extra special.

This recipe makes 10 mini tarts or one large 20 cm tart.


175 grams flour
90 grams cold butter (unsalted)
25 grams almond powder
70 grams powdered sugar
pinch of salt
35 grams eggs

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and mix with the flour using a pastry cutter (use a food processor if you have one).  Butter should be well mixed with the flour.  
2. Sift the powdered sugar and almond powder and add to #1 and mix with the pastry cutter. Add in the egg and mix well. 
3. Shape dough into a ball and  cover in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using. This dough becomes soft very quickly so do not handle too much when rolling out.

Roll dough to fit tart pans Fill with apple slices

Cover apple slices with the custard mixture

Dessert is ready!

Some of the recipes that I have posted on the site are complicated and some are easy. This is one of the easy ones -- super easy and fast.

I've added mini chocolate chips and candied orange peel to this recipe. Both of these add just the right amount of zing to make a good scone  a great one.

Feel free to substitute your favorite dried fruit or nuts for the chips or orange peel.




Recipe 
Makes 8 -10 pieces

150 grams flour
50 grams bread flour
10 grams baking powder
50 grams butter
1 egg
60 grams plain yogurt
8 grams sugar
40 grams chocolate chips
50 grams candied orange peel

1. In a bowl, sift the flours and baking powder. Cut the butter into small cubes and mix into the flour with a bench scraper or use your fingers to thoroughly mix the butter.
2. Add in the egg, sugar and yogurt. Use the bench scraper to mix everything together well. Add in the chocolate chips and candied orange peel. Mix.
3. Roll into a ball and cover with plastic. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before using.

4.  Split the dough in half. Flatten one piece of dough on a smooth surface to about 5 cm high. Use a round cutter and cut pieces of dough. Cut the other half of dough next.
4. Put cut pieces on a baking pan and brush each with milk before baking.
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 18 minutes.
6. The recipe should make 8 - 10 pieces depending how thick you roll out the dough.

A new breakfast treat Citron topped biscuits As  I am sitting at the computer typing this, the plate of biscuits is near me and I can smell the lemon from them. I have to resist temptation since I have already eaten one after dinner and my tummy is already too large :)  Today was the first warm spring day we have had and I enjoyed opening the windows and baking with the fresh air coming in.  Unfortunately, I know that this perfect temperature will not last and soon we will be sweltering in summer heat. Anyway, here is the recipe. 250 grams flour 13 grams baking powder 30 grams sugar  3 grams salt zest of 1 lemon 90 grams unsalted butter 20 grams lemon juice 1 egg (mixed) 110 grams fresh cream 2 lemons for decoration 1. Thinly slice the 2 lemons and put in a sauce pan with 2 tablespoons sugar and just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Strain and dry on a paper towel. 2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and mix with the flour using either a dough scraper or with your fingers (use a food processor if you have one). When well mixed, add the sugar, salt, lemon zest & juice and mix. Add in the egg and cream. Mix until everything is well combined. Put on a board and lightly knead together. Form into a ball and cover with wrap. Put in the refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes before using. 3. To prepare, lightly flour a flat surface. Take the dough and use your hand to flatten it to about 3 cm. Use a small circle (about 5 -6 cm) to cut the each piece. As you have extra dough, roll into a ball again and flatten to cut more pieces. Put each piece on baking sheet. 4. Before baking, brush each piece with milk and place a slice of the lemon on top. Sprinkle each lemon piece with sugar. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 25 minutes until lightly browned. Brush with milk before putting the lemon slice on top then sprinkle with sugar before baking

This recipe is a variation of traditional rice pudding. The extra added taste is caramel.  Since it looks a bit fancier than other rice pudding which is cooked in a big dish, this can easily be served on fancy dessert dishes.

Usually in rice pudding recipes we use leftover rice which has been in the refrigerator. Well, if you want a tasty dish cook fresh rice :)

Here you go for the recipe.

Makes enough for 6 ramekins

120 grams uncooked rice
500 grams milk
1 vanilla bean
zest of 1 orange
50 grams sugar
30 grams butter
25 grams raisins
2 egg yolks

Pour the caramel into each baking dish

Caramel
100 grams sugar
30 grams water

1. Clean the 6 ramekins before making the caramel and be ready to fill them once the caramel is ready.
2. To make the caramel, combine the sugar and water into a sauce pan and heat until the sugar water is melted and starts to turn a light brown. Remove from the heat quickly after the sugar turns brown since it will burn very quickly.
3. Pour the hot caramel into the 6 ramekins evenly.









Rice Pudding

1. Boil the rice in 2 cups of water and cook until just softened. Strain to remove the water.
2. Boil the milk in large flat fry frying pan and add the inside of the vanilla bean (slice the vanilla bean down the center and remove the black filling and add to the milk) and add the orange zest and sugar. Add the cooked rice to the milk and lower the temperature to medium heat and stir until the liquid is reduced.
3. Put in a bowl and mix in the butter with a spatula then add the egg yolks and raisins. Pour evenly into each ramekin. Place all of the ramekins in baking pan filled 1/3 with hot water. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 - 30 minutes until lightly browned on top.
4.  When you remove the baking dishes from the oven, cool in a pan of ice water for about 10 minutes then turn each each piece upside down onto a serving dish.

Add the raisins to the rice and milk mixture

These desserts look nice enough to stand on their own