How does wobbly vanilla bean custard encased in a crumbly golden gluten free shortcrust pastry dusted with cinnamon sound? My gluten free custard tarts were such a hit over summer I had to share this classic recipe with you. Simple recipes done really well are always popular and let me tell you these mouthwatering tarts sent guests scrambling for the last spoonful of silky smooth custard and buttery crumb. No hard rubbery custard centres or store bought pastry cases here folks!
Now let’s talk about the all important wobble. Perfecting the jiggle isn’t hard as long as you don’t over thicken the custard at the whisking stage. You want your warm custard to coat the back of a spoon, it should be creamy but still runny enough to pour. If you need to spoon the custard into your pastry cases you have taken it too far. Bin. Start again. Don’t stress if this happens because custard only requires basic pantry ingredients so it won’t take you long to whisk one up again. We’ve all been there, trust me.
My gorgeous buttery gluten free shortcrust pastry can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. You can even line your tart cases the day prior to save time if you wish. This recipe can also be made into one large round or rectangular tart which is faster to prep and easy to slice and serve.
If you end up with leftover custard once you have filled your pastry cases simply pour it into small serving bowls or lick it straight from the bowl (like someone I know does).
- Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry
- Custard
- 140g caster sugar
- 50g cornflour
- 700g full cream milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped
- Cinnamon to dust
- Roll out shortcrust pastry thinly between two sheets of baking paper.
- Cut out 12 pastry rounds slightly larger than your tins to allow you to fill the pastry shell. Press pastry into tins and use a knife to trim off any excess.
- Prick mini pastry tarts with fork and place tarts in preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove and cool.
- In a bowl whisk sugar, cornflour, egg and vanilla together until smooth.
- Gently heat milk in a saucepan until warm (not boiling). Remove from heat and whisk into the egg mixture.
- Tip mixture back into saucepan and whisk constantly until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. The custard should be thin enough to pour but still very creamy. It will thicken upon cooling.
- Immediately pour warm custard into pastry cases. Dust with cinnamon. Refrigerate to set.
- Roll out shortcrust pastry thinly between two sheets of baking paper.
- Cut out 12 pastry rounds slightly larger than your tins to allow you to fill the pastry shell. Press pastry into tins and use a knife to trim off any excess.
- Prick mini pastry tarts with fork and place tarts in preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove and cool.
- Place sugar and cornflour in Thermomix bowl and mill 10 sec/speed 9.
- Add milk, eggs and vanilla bean and cook 6½ - 7 min/90C/speed 4. The custard should be thin enough to pour but still very creamy. Test the custard by stirring it with a spoon. If the custard coats the back of a spoon it is ready. It will thicken upon cooling.
- Immediately pour warm custard into pastry cases. Dust with cinnamon. Refrigerate to set.
These have the exact perfect degree of “wobble”! I don’t think anyone would miss the gluten. Beautiful presentation!
Thank you.
Oh, I love all kinds of custard and these actually look easy to prepare. I’ll have to make these for dessert this weekend.
Enjoy Aimee.
I have made these and they were sensational! Definitely a keepsake recipe for my repertoire.
Thank you again for the wonderful recipes I have such success with yours. My daughter is coeliac so now it is easier for us to all eat like that so do my visitors but I don’t need to tell them it is GF because it is as good as anything else. Please keep up the inspiration.
Thanks for the lovely feedback Margie. If you have any questions regarding your daughter’s gluten free diet please email anytime.
good afternoon, please are there any substitutes for the caster sugar for those avoiding sugar. thank you.
good afternoon, please i will like to find out if there are any healthier substitute for the caster sugar in the custard recipe for someone that can not take sugar
Hi Dolly,
I would suggest coconut sugar as a replacement if you do not want to use caster sugar. If you cannot tolerate any sugar perhaps look at a natural sweetener replacement from the supermarket.
The recipe looks beautiful; would it work the same with soy milk? Thanks
(P.S. What kind of flowers are those? They’re gorgeous!)
Hi Shabana,
Thank you. I have not tried it with soy but I don’t see why it would not work. Monitor the consistency of the custard when stirring, this would be the critical point. You want it thick and creamy but still runny enough to pour. Sorry I don’t actually know the name of the flowers my local florist gave them to me. Good luck!
I really want to make this, but am uncertain about one ingredient. I’m in the U.S. By cornflour do you mean what we call corn starch or do you mean a finely ground corn flour?
Hi Sam,
I know what you mean I’m always confused when I read a US recipe too! Yes I do mean the finely ground cornflour that look like powder not the gritty one used for tacos. Enjoy!!