Custard tart

A custard tart is a type of tart or pie, typically consisting of an outer pastry crust filled with egg custard. Custard tarts are thought to have originated in England during the medieval era. Recipes for custard tarts appeared in English cookbooks as early as the 14th century. The tarts were initially made with a shortcrust pastry, but later recipes called for a puff pastry or flaky pastry crust.

Custard tarts became popular in America during the colonial era. One of the earliest known recipes for an American custard tart appeared in Amelia Simmons’ 1796 cookbook, American Cookery. Simmons’ recipe called for a “rich crust” to be filled with a custard made of milk, eggs, sugar, and nutmeg.

Custard tarts continue to be popular in both England and America. In England, they are often served as a dessert, while in America they are more commonly eaten as a breakfast or brunch dish.

Advice

When making a custard tart, one of the main things to consider is the crust. You should ensure that it is light and flaky, so you may need to practice a few times to get the perfect texture. You could even use a pre-made pastry crust if you don't want to make one from scratch. When it comes to the custard filling, make sure to use fresh ingredients and mix them well to get a smooth texture. Use the right amount of sugar and spices to get the desired flavor. Lastly, after baking the tart, let it cool completely before you serve it. Enjoy!

Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights

Recipes

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Parisian Custard Tart

  • All-Purpose Tart Dough
  • egg
  • sugar
  • ice water
  • all purpose flour
  • salt
  • butter
  • Custard Tart
  • puff pastry
  • vanilla extract
  • sugar
  • water
  • cornstarch
  • brown sugar
  • dark rum
  • milk
  • egg
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Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts

  • candy thermometer
  • all purpose flour
  • vanilla extract
  • cinnamon
  • lemon
  • milk
  • butter
  • all purpose flour
  • salt
  • sugar
  • egg yolk
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Toasted-Coconut Custard Tart

  • Filling
  • white pepper
  • kiwi
  • vanilla bean
  • light brown sugar
  • milk
  • egg yolk
  • coconut
  • all purpose flour
  • Tart Shell
  • salt
  • butter
  • ice water
  • all purpose flour
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Raspberry Custard Tart

  • SAUCE
  • sugar
  • butter
  • raspberry
  • water
  • salt
  • PASTRY
  • lemon zest
  • egg yolk
  • butter
  • lemon juice
  • all purpose flour
  • sugar
  • salt
  • heavy cream
  • FILLING
  • raspberry
  • vanilla bean
  • heavy cream
  • sugar
  • egg yolk
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Portuguese Custard Tarts

  • passion fruits pulp
  • salt
  • vanilla extract
  • blueberry
  • all purpose flour
  • sugar
  • butter
  • milk
  • egg yolk
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Nutmeg Custard Tarts

  • light brown sugar
  • sugar
  • vanilla bean
  • salt
  • milk
  • nutmeg
  • all purpose flour
  • heavy cream
  • egg
  • egg yolk
  • butter
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Lemon Custard Tart

  • lemon zest cups juice
  • salt
  • heavy cream
  • powdered sugar
  • egg
  • lemon
  • white chocolate
  • butter
  • all purpose flour
  • sugar
  • almond flour
  • butter
  • egg yolk
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Prune Custard Tart

  • heavy cream
  • tap water
  • prune
  • cinnamon
  • confectioners sugar
  • butter
  • all purpose flour
  • salt
  • milk
  • sugar
  • egg
  • ice water

Ingredient Breakdown

 
butter
sugar
salt
all purpose flour
egg yolk
milk
egg
heavy cream
vanilla extract
cinnamon
vanilla bean
water
cornstarch
ice water
nutmeg
honey
lemon
light brown sugar
raspberry
all butter puff pastry
light cream
peach
berry
ritz cracker
thyme
puff pastry
brown sugar
dark rum
candy thermometer
white pepper
kiwi
coconut
stone fruit
marsala wine
vanilla pod
pine nut
semolina
lemon zest
lemon juice
passion fruits pulp
blueberry
lemon zest cups juice
powdered sugar
white chocolate
almond flour
tap water
prune
confectioners sugar

Insights

Staple Ingredients

  • butter 62%
  • salt 62%

Usual Ingredients

  • all purpose flour 54%
  • egg yolk 54%
  • milk 54%
  • sugar 54%