Professor Butter Beard’s Brown Sugar Egg Custard Tart
1 recipe Prof BB’s rich pie pastry
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and salted (if desired)
Custard:
1/3 cup whole milk
1 2/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp freshy grated nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla paste
6 large egg yolks
1) Blind bake the pastry in a shallow pie plate and set aside to cool. Toast the almonds with ½ tsp of fine sea salt and set aside to cool.
2) Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.
3) In a heavy medium-size saucepan, heat the milk and cream with the sugar and salt. Whisk until simmering and the sugar has dissolved (bringing it to roughly 170 degrees).
4) In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until combined. Carefully pour 1/3 of the hot cream over the egg yolks, whisking gently the entire time to temper the eggs. Whisk the remaining hot cream and then strain the mixture into a large glass measuring cup. Whisk the nutmeg and vanilla paste into the mixture.
5) Pour the custard into the shell and gently place it on the center rack of the oven. Bake until the custard is mainly set around the outside. There should be a 2” wobble in the center. It will continue cooking once you remove it from the oven. Start checking for the wobble after 30-35 minutes (but it could take up to 40 minutes to achieve).
6) Let cool completely to room temperature before serving. If desired, garnish the edges with the toasted almonds (and serve with fresh blueberries).
