Quick and easy, good, old fashioned Milk Tart recipe.

Just felt like making a Milk tart today, and all the ingredients were ready at hand, so I whipped one up. It came out beautifully and because I had baked the puff pastry before the filling went in, it was crisp and delicious. I didn't put any almond essence in the filling, which I slightly regret, as I normally do it and it adds some depth to the flavours of the filling, so I'm going to add it to the ingredients list I give to you, try it out and let me know how yours turned out.

Here is the recipe

Milk Tart:

Ingredients:

• 1 roll of ready made puff pastry
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 2ml almond essence

Ingredients

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade
2. Grease a medium - large pie dish
3. Roll out pastry and line the pie dish with it. Poke holes with a fork into the pastry. Bake blind for 15 minutes, then remove blind baking beans and paper and bake for a further 15 minutes.
4. Place milk, almond essence and cinnamon into a pot and scald.
5. Combine the flour, cornflour, sugar and salt.
6. Add the scalded milk gradually to the flour mixture, mixing after each addition to make sure no lumps form.
7. Cook slowly, whisking constantly until thick and well cooked.
8. Remove from the heat.
9. Add butter.
10. Cool slightly.
11. Stir in the well beaten eggs.
12. Pour mixture into the ready baked puff pastry shell.
13. Bake for 20 - 25minutes
14. Cool slightly.
15. Sprinkle a cinnamon sugar mixture over the baked filling.
16. Serve hot or cold.

Try it!

Left over puff pastry? Make a tart!

So today I realised there was a piece of puff pastry in the freezer that hadn't been finished yet, so I decided to use it. I was inspired last week when a teacher at the school that I am working at made it and ever since then I have been wanting to try it out myself. It is to die for and it is super easy to make, quickly pop it into the oven before guests come over and serve as a snack or a starter...they will be begging you for this easy and fool-proof recipe.

Try it out!

Basil Pesto, Cherry Tomato and Parmesan Tart:

Ingredients:

The ingredient's amounts differ depending on the size of your sheet of puff pastry, but here is a guideline:

• 1 sheet of rolled puff pastry
• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved (+/- 20 whole cherry tomatoes)
• 30g parmesan or 50g gouda (depending on your likes/dislikes), grated
• 80ml basil pesto
• 125ml shaved almonds, toasted
• salt
• pepper
• rocket to garnish

Ingredients

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade
2. Unroll your pre-made puff pastry and place onto a well greased baking tray.
3. Cut the edges of the puff pastry off and place them onto the edge of the large sheet of pastry, forming a border along the edges.
4. Inside the border of your pastry, spread the pesto evenly till touching the edges of your border.
5. Place your halved tomatoes in rows on top of your pesto.
6. Sprinkle your grated cheese on top of your tomatoes
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Bake for 30 mins or until your pastry edges are crisp and golden.
9. While your tart is baking in the oven, place your shaved almonds into a non stick frying pan and dry fry them until they are golden brown and toasted.
10. When your tart comes out, place on a cooling rack.
11. Sprinkle your toasted almonds and rocket onto the tart and enjoy!
12. To add that extra zing you can also dress your rocket leaves with some reduced balsamic vinegar.

DELISH!

What to do with your lemons...here's an idea!

Lemon meringue pie is one of my favourite tea time treats, I thoroughly enjoy it when the middle has the perfect balance of sweet and sour, as too sweet can be a bit off putting. I made a lemon meringue for the teachers at the school I'm interning at and they really enjoyed it... so I will share it with you too.

Here is the recipe:

Lemon Meringue pie

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of marie biscuits/coconut biscuits, crushed
• 30ml butter, melted
• 5ml/ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tin condensed milk
• Juice of 2 large lemons
• 3 eggs, separated
• 30ml sugar

Ingredients

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade
2. In a food processor or by hand, crush the biscuits, then add the melted butter and cinnamon and press into a pie dish.
3. Bake for 10 -15 minutes until golden
4. In a bowl mix together the condensed milk, lemon juice and egg yolks. 
5. Once well combined and thick, pour into the prepared crust.
6. Bake for another 15- 20 minutes until the middle has set slightly and is clean to the touch.
7. In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peak, add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth, glossy and can form stiff peaks.
8. Pour  egg white mixture onto the prepared pie and cover the entire surface, forming peaks as you go around.
9. Bake until meringue topping is golden and delicious!

Ready to cut! :)