Custard Tarts

We started making custard tarts to celebrate the Queen's birthday - something classically English and a bit special. What we weren't expecting was such an emotional response. We had grown men crying in the shop after taking their first bite. And we were selling hundreds each day - in fact we had to rush out and buy another 7 dozen eggs just to meet demand. It's slowed down a little but we have continued to make custard tarts fresh each day and still move a couple of trays ( and the kids don't mind if there's a couple left over)

There are a lot of claims about where custard tarts originated and many cultures have their own recipes - from Medieval England to Portugeuse Monasteries and modern day Hong Kong, Indonesia and Sth Africa - egg custard tarts are beloved the world over.

It is difficult to find a real custard tart - nice fine pastry, not-too-sweet real egg custard (no cornflour)  and just a scrap of nutmeg.

We know not all of you can get to our little shop in Kyneton - and they don't travel well, so we are sharing the traditional egg custard recipe plus our sweet pastry recipe. Once you've made these custard tarts you can then play around a bit - you can make a Manchester Tart by adding a little jam to the base before baking the custard or you can get a little bit French and add poached or stewed fruits.

Or you can just enjoy them as they were presented to King Henry IV in 1399 at his Coronation Feast - freshly baked and settled at room temperature.

 You can download a copy of the recipe HERE