Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts

Today’s recipe for Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts comes from my grandmother’s old BeRo cookbook, and is a favourite of mine

A British Baking Classic

Today’s recipe for Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts, is one close to my heart. This recipe comes from my grandmother’s old BeRo cookbook, and is one she and my mum made regularly.

Often called Egg Custards, or even just Custards, these golden tarts have a long history, going back to the 14th century, when they served at Henry IV’s coronation banquet.

They are the mainstay of traditional British bakeries and “Ye Olde Worlde Tea Rooms” too. These were also my late father’s favourite treats, alomg with Curd Tart/s.

You can make this recipe in a large flan dish, which then makes the reicpe an Egg Custard Tart, or as I have done, in 12 small tinfoil cases for individual custard tarts.

You achieve the fluted edges of the pastry cases by using a fluted pastry or scone cutter – I have an old plastic one that is very fluted, which makes for a pretty edge of these tarts.

As with all tarts that have a wet filling, these are best on the day that they are made, although we have enjoyed them the next day, but the pastry isn’t as crisp.

Serve these Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts with a pot of tea for Sunday tea time, or as part of afternoon tea, or even elevenses.

I hope you enjoy this lovely old-fashioned bake as much as we all do. Make sure you get all your good china out to serve them too, for a proper “well drerssed” British tea! Karen

Culinary Notes

• This is based on the orignal BeRo recipe from over 70 years ago, but I have doubled the quantities to make x 12 deep custard tarts to fill muffin size tinfoil cases.
• If you cannot source muffin tin size tinfoil cases, then just use a muffin tin, grease or butter it, and then line each hole with the pastry.
• For a richer filling, use 300mls (1/2 pint milk) and 150mls (1/4 pint) single cream.
• Vanilla extract can also be added to the custard filling, add 1 teaspoon at step 6.
• Use ready-made and ready-rolled pastry if you cannot make your own pastry.

More Old-Fashioned Recipes

Recipe for Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts

Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts

Yield:
12

Prep Time:
25 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
45 minutes

Today’s recipe for Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts, is one close to my heart. This recipe comes from my grandmother’s old BeRo cookbook, and is one she and my mum made regularly.

Often called Egg Custards, or even just Custards, these golden tarts have a long history, going back to the 14th century, when they served at Henry IV’s coronation banquet.

They are the mainstay of traditional British bakeries and “Ye Olde Worlde Tea Rooms” too. These were also my late father’s favourite treats, alomg with Curd Tart/s.

You can make this recipe in a large flan dish, which then makes the reicpe an Egg Custard Tart, or as I have done, in 12 small tinfoil cases for individual custard tarts.

You achieve the fluted edges of the pastry case by using a fluted pastry or scone cutter – I have an old plastic one that is very fluted, which makes for a pretty edge of these tarts.

As with all tarts that have a wet filling, these are best on the day that they are made, although we have enjoyed them the next day, but the pastry isn’t as crisp.

Serve these Old-Fashioned “Tea Room” Custard Tarts with a pot of tea for Sunday tea time, or as part of afternoon tea, or even elevenses.

I hope you enjoy this lovely old-fashioned bake as much as we all do. Make sure you get all your good china out to serve them too, for a proper “well drerssed” British tea! Karen

Ingredients

• shortcrust pastry:
• 340g SR flour (12 ozs)
• 160g butter (6 ozs)
• cold water (to mix, about 30ml)
• pinch of salt
• filling:
• 4 eggs
• 450mls milk (3/4 pint)
• 4 tablespoons caster sugar
• Fresh nutmeg, grated

Instructions

1. Pastry: Mix flour and salt in basin, rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Using a knife to cut and stir, mix with cold water to form a stiff dough. Do not over mix, light of hand is best. Allow pastry dough to chill and “relax” for 30 minutes, in a fridge or a cool place, cover the bowl or put the pastry in some cling film.
3. Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead lightly. Roll out and use as required.
4. Stamp out 12 pastry circles and line 12 greased tinfoil cases, then place them into a patty or a muffin tin. Place a circle of baking paper on the top of each pastry case, then add baking beans.
5. Bake them blind in a pre-heated oven, 190C/375F for 5 minutes until the pastry is part cooked and a pale golden brown.
6. Filling: Meanwhile, make the filling – whisk the eggs. Heat the milk and sugar together in a pan, bring to a boil; then pour the milk and sugar mixture over the eggs and stir well.
7. Pour the egg custard into each pastry case, to 3/4 full. Grate fresh nutmeg over the tops of each custard tart.
8. Place the muffin/patty tin back in the oven, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the custard is set but still a little wobbly.
9. Remove them from the oven, and allow to cool before serving them.

Notes

This is based on the orignal BeRo recipe from over 70 years ago, but I have doubled the quantities to make x 12 deep custard tarts to fill muffin size tinfoil cases.

If you cannot source muffin tin size tinfoil cases, then just use a muffin tin, grease or butter it, and then line each hole with the pastry.

For a richer filling, use 300mls (1/2 pint milk) and 150mls (1/4 pint) single cream.

Vanilla extract can also be added to the custard filling, add 1 teaspoon at step 6.

Use ready-made and ready-rolled pastry if you cannot make your own pastry.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12

Serving Size 1

Amount Per Serving

Calories 259Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 94mgSodium 140mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 1gSugar 6gProtein 6g