Le Creuset Cherry Custard tart

Pastry

• 150 g plain flour
• 20 g caster sugar
• 75 g salted butter
• 50 ml cold water

Filling

• 750 ml milk
• 125 ml cold water
• 4 large eggs
• 190 g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 60 g cornflour
• 15 g apricot jam

Decoration

• 180 g cherries
• Icing sugar
• 100 g white chocolate
• 100 g dark chocolate

1. To make the pastry: place the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor. Blend until the butter and flour form a breadcrumb consistency.
2. Add the cold water and blend again until the mixture forms a dough. Remove from the processor and cover, leave to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
3. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to an even thickness and carefully line a dish – the Heart Tart Dish works perfectly here.
4. To make the filling: Ensure the oven rack is in the centre of the oven and pre-heat to 180°C/ Fan 160°C/ Gas Mark 4.
5. Mix the milk and water together in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
6. Beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and cornflour in a large bowl until light and frothy. Add the warm milk mixture slowly and mix well.
7. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring continuously until the custard is a thick pouring consistency.
8. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little. Pour the warm custard into the lined tart dish and bake for 1 hour.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Then place in the refrigerator overnight to set. Brush a layer of melted apricot jam on the top of the tart before serving.
10. For the decoration: top the custard tart with cherries and dust with icing sugar for a speedy finish.
11. For a more decorative look dip the cherries in dark and white chocolate melted gently in separate bain-maries. Place each cherry on a baking tray lined with baking paper to set before adding to the tart.

• Use 250 g ready-made pastry to save time.
• Decorate with other seasonal berries such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries or chocolate curls.