Under the Blue Gum tree

For an alternative to yesterday’s apple turnovers, try these pretty little apple and custard tarts. Another great way of using your homemade (or shop bought) puff pastry, these scrumptious individual desserts remind me of Portuguese custard tarts but with the added goodness of fruit. Crispy pastry, creamy custard and juicy apples. Delicious. Like the turnovers and the strawberry galettes, these puff pastry puds are very simple to make and can be ready in little over half an hour. So what are you waiting for.

Apple and custard tarts (adapted from Food and Home Entertaining magazine)

(Makes 4)

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 200ml milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 200g puff pastry
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 apple
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar
• juice of ½ a lemon
• icing sugar

1.  Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Beat the egg yolk and caster sugar together until thick and creamy then stir in the flour.  Place the milk and vanilla paste in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Gradually pour the hot milk on to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to stop lumps forming. Pour the mixture back in to the pan and heat gently whilst stirring, until the custard is nice and thick. Set aside.

2.  Roll out the puff pastry until about 3mm thick. Cut out 4 circles to fit the holes of a jumbo muffin tin (about 10cm in diameter). Brush the circles with melted butter then push, butter side down, into the openings of the tin.

3.  Core the apple and cut into slices about 3mm thick. Mix with the demerara sugar and lemon juice.

4.  Spoon the custard into the pastry cases and top with the sliced apple. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Serve whilst still warm with a dusting of icing sugar.