Ginger Brulee Tarts

When I saw A Table for Two post this recipe for Ginger Brulee Tarts as part of a monthly baking challenge I was in.

I love baking tarts and have been longing to try the famous Bourke Street Bakery ones, but hey the next best thing is to bake it yourself, right?

Really baking a tart is a simple thing.

Just start with the pastry. 

I have though discovered, that somewhere along the way I became really bad at following recipes.

I did not follow the recipe strictly, I used icing sugar instead of caster and I added an egg yolk to my pastry.

Just be gentle and patient with the pastry is my advice, mix it gently, rest in fridge, roll out, add to tin, rest again in fridge then prick (or use baking beads) and bake.

I used a well greased cupcake tin as my two favourite tart tins have come to the end of their lives.

The filling is really just a custard. 

Again, not following the recipe, I used milk not cream and it was lovingly infused with ginger, cardamon and cinnamon.

The milk is combined over heat with the egg yolks and sugar until a thickish custard is achieved.

Because I used milk, mine was really not going to set enough, so I poured it into my pre-cooked tart shells and popped them back in the oven for s short while until the custard set.

Once ready to eat I sprinkled over some sugar and used my mini little blow torch to make a crunch.

They were delicious, soft custard, the crunch of the toffee top, the depth of flavour from the spices, all incased in delicate pastry.

I'm even more excited to try the Bourke Street Bakery version - one day!