Resolutions & Reminiscences

Hello Lovely People,

Today is New Year's Eve🎉! As you grow older New Year resolutions loose novelty; but this time like never before, we are hopeful and praying for a safe & back-to-normal times from this coming year.

Hubby and me were discussing how even after this pandemic ends (hopefully soon🤞🏼) the countless 'new experiences' & endless 'firsts' of this year will become stories for generations to come🤶. A WhatsApp forward reminded me that despite all the terrible inconveniences if we survived, we should be thankful (🤔hmm so true) .

Well speaking of which, super glad to conclude the last bake of 2020 with these 'Lemon Custard Tarts'.

In fact my decision to save the Tart shells baked in the Christmas sweets making spree for New year was the best. 

Normally we make fresh coconut filling for these tarts, but because treats with fresh coconut have a lesser shelf life and with jus two of us to slowly & steadily go through our Christmas sweets; it made sense to not make 'coconut tarts'. 

The plan was to simply fill them with Nutella. But I had 4 egg yolks leftover from dishes needing only egg whites, wanting to use them up, I diversified and made a zingy lemon flavored custard cream. It goes  perfectly well with the mildly sweet and crispy tart shells. These even can dub as a  palette cleanser in all the rich & heavy Christmas sweets.

I have already shared the recipe of my 'tart shells' (click here), do find below this super easy 'Lemon Custard cream recipe; it is so easy you can whip it up in a jiffy.

RECIPE

Time taken: 15-20 mins

Yield: 1 cup custard cream

Method: 

1) Gather the following ingredients (at room temperature) 60 gms butter unsalted, 75gms caster sugar, 4 egg yolks, few drops of vanilla essence, half lemon (not lime) juice. If the lemon is too sour just use 1.5 tbsp.

2) Mix all ingredients except the vanilla essense, with a whisk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.

3) On the lowest flame range start heating the mixture, stirring continuously.

4) First the mixture will become runny and slowly start thickening. Cook till you achieve a thicking piping consistency.

Tip - If your cooking range does not have very low flame settings, best cook the lemon custard on a double boiler or bain marie. It might take longer but your custart will not catch the bottom.

5) Remove from flame, add few drops of vanilla essence. Add yellow colour if your custard colour is pale. I have not added colour since I've used brown egg 🥚 yolks which are quite deep yellow in colour and they lend a lovely hue to the custart naturally.

6) Let the lemon custard cool completely before transferring to a piping bag.

7) Carefully pipe the custard in the tart shells.

8) Garnish with glaced cheries or baby mint leaves. Serve as you want🤗.

Cheers!!!