Makes 2 x 23 cm tart bases
Preheat oven to 180 C
Pastry base:
125 g butter at room temperature,
1/2 cup sugar,
1 large egg,
2 cups cake flour,
2 tsps baking powder,
pinch of salt .
Beat sugar and butter until pale and creamy ( 2 minutes).
Add egg and beat until blended.
Add dry ingredients to form a soft dough. Divide dough in half.
Grease your round pie dish.
With your hands spread 1/2 the dough in pie dish, evening and flattening dough out as you work with your fingers.
Prick the bottom of the pie dough with a fork.
Bake at 180 C for 15 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from oven and prepare your filling.
Milk Tart
Filling : (for 1 tart )
Filling : 2 1/4 cups milk bring to just before boiling point in a saucepan.
Remove from heat.
In a bowl add 2 large eggs,
1/4 cup castor sugar,
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour,
2 tbsp custard powder.
Beat together until smooth and not lumpy.
Take scalded milk and with a whisk pour milk into egg mixture.
Whisking all the time return the mixture back to saucepan until mixture thickens and forms a custard.
Stir in 2 tbsp butter and 1 tsp vanilla essence.
Custard should be thick and smooth. Pour into pie shell. Let cool and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Allow to set for a few hours in the fridge.
**Note to recipe:
If baking 2 milk tarts or 1 large tart increase the filling quantities:
4 1/2 cups milk,
3 large eggs,
1/2 cup sugar,
3 tbsp cornflour,
3 tbsp custard powder ** stir in the butter and vanilla essence.
Prepared, tried and tested by: Gail Haselsteiner
Lemon Meringue Tart (using 2nd half of dough)
Follow same procedure of spreading your dough with your hands in greased pie dish.
Prick bottom of dough with a fork.
Place some parchment paper over your dough and bake BLIND.
Fill your pie dish with rice or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 160 C now make your filling.
Filling:
1x 385 g can condensed milk,
3 large eggs separated,
1/4 cup lemon juice.
Mix these ingredients together until smooth. Pour filling into pie dish.
Whip 3 egg whites until it starts to form peaks,
gradually add 1/4 cup castor sugar while beating.
When nice and stiff add 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and 1/2 tsp white vinegar.
Pipe or spoon meringue over pie filling.
Bake further in oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 160 C
Prepared, tried and tested by: Gail Haselsteiner