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Easy Egg Custard Tarts Recipe for a Perfectly Creamy Bake

Easy Egg Custard Tarts

Classic British-style egg custard tarts made with ready-made shortcrust pastry, whole milk, eggs, vanilla, and freshly grated nutmeg. The creamy custard is baked until the edges are set and the centers retain a gentle wobble.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pastry
  • 1 sheet, about 320-375 g Ready-made shortcrust pastry
  • As needed for rolling Plain flour
  • As needed for greasing Butter or baking spray
Custard
  • 3 Large eggs
  • 75 g Caster sugar
  • 300 ml Whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon or seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean Vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds
  • As needed for sprinkling Freshly grated nutmeg

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional/180°C fan, or 400°F/350°F fan. Lightly grease eight tart molds in a 12-hole muffin tin or use eight individual tart tins.
  2. Roll the thawed shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface until about 3 mm thick. Cut eight rounds large enough to line the molds and reach slightly above each rim.
  3. Press the pastry gently into the molds without stretching it. Prick the bases lightly, then chill the lined pastry for 20–30 minutes if needed.
  4. Line each shell with baking parchment and fill with baking beans, dried beans, or pie weights. Blind-bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
  5. Remove the parchment and weights, then bake the shells uncovered for another 3–5 minutes to dry the bases. Reduce the oven to 160°C conventional/140°C fan, or 325°F/285°F fan.
  6. Whisk the eggs and caster sugar gently until combined, taking care not to whip in excess air. Warm the milk with the vanilla until steaming but not boiling.
  7. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring jug or bowl with a pouring spout.
  8. Pour the strained custard into the pastry shells and sprinkle each top lightly with freshly grated nutmeg. Bake for 25–35 minutes, depending on the size and depth of the tarts.
  9. Remove the tarts when the edges are set but the centers still have a slight wobble. Cool them in the tins for 10–15 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and cool for at least 30 minutes.

Notes

Avoid boiling the milk or overbaking the custard. Chill lined pastry shells before baking to help prevent shrinking, and use crumpled parchment beneath the weights for especially neat shells. Refrigerate leftovers and use within 2–3 days.