An easy dessert to prepare. An exceptional idea for birthday and tea parties. However I also discovered that not all children like custard, probably due to its creamy texture.


Short Pastry
Ingredients

1 small egg
125 g butter
50 g icing sugar
250 g plain flour

Method

. Mix the icing sugar and butter until white.

. Add the egg and flour until it forms a dough. Fold the flour in 2 parts to enable an even mixture. An electric mixer will work wonders if you have one.

. Do not overwork or else the the dough will be rubbery.

. Brush the tin moulds with a light coat of oil or butter to prevent the pastry from sticking to the moulds. Press the dough onto the mould.

Alternative method
. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface, cut out circles and press into greased individual tartlet moulds.

Preheat the oven at 180oC for 20 min, then bake the moulds for 20 min.

Custard Cream (12 portions)
Ingredients

1 lit milk
150g sugar
2 egg yolks
60g custard powder
a pinch of salt
3 drops of vanilla essence

Method

1. Bring 3/4 of the milk and half of sugar to boil.

2. Ian a separate bowl, mix together remaining sugar, milk, egg yolk, custard powder, salt and vanilla essence.

3. Pour the boiling milk slowly into this preparation stirring vigourously.

4. Return the mixture to the heat and bring to boil, sirring constantly constantly.

5. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

6. Prior to use, pass the custard through a fine seive.

7. Fill baked tartlets with the custard cream and garnish with mixed fruit on top.

TIPS

. Don't wait too long before filling the custard cream into the tartlets because hardened custard will not a make a nice smooth texture and the fruits will not sink easily into the cream.

. If the idea of baking the base puts you off, buy ready made ones from baking stores or surprise, surprise - Marks & Spencer ( food section )

Recipe from The Salvation Army War Cry Magazine, June 2005 issue by Chef Roland Poon, Head Chef of Peacehaven Nursing Home, Singapore.