Milk Tart Hand Pies

Milk Tart Hand Pies

420g flour
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
5ml sugar
220g butter, grated
190ml milk
vegetable oil for frying

Filling:
40g corn flour
50ml + 450ml milk
4 egg yolks
50g + 50g caster sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
5ml vanilla

For the pastry:
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to a mixing bowl.
Add the grated butter and rub the mixture between your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Drizzle the milk over the mixture and bring it together with your hands.
Shape the pastry into a ball, slice it in half and flatten each into a flat disc.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

For the filling:
Add the corn flour to a large mixing bowl and stir in 50ml of the milk.
Add the egg yolks and 50g caster sugar and whisk together. Set aside.
Pour the 450ml milk into a small saucepan and add the other 50g caster sugar and ground cinnamon to it.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Take it from the heat as tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges.
Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously.
Now pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it on medium-low heat.
Stir continuously until thickened.
Allow to cook for 30 seconds before removing from the heat.
Add the vanilla and mix through.
Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl and then place plastic wrap directly on its surface.
Allow to cool completely.

Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough to a 5mm thickness.
Cut 12 circles with a 12cm diameter from the dough.
Spoon 30ml of the filling on the pastry circle.
Wet the edges of the circle with water and fold the dough over into a half-moon shape.
Seal and crimp the edges with a fork.
Refrigerate the pies for 30 minutes.
Heat 6cm vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry 3 pies at a time for 6 minutes, flipping them over every now and then.
Drain on paper towels.
The hand pies may be served as is or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Milk Tart

Milk Tart

This recipe makes two standard sized tarts.

500g puff pastry

1litre + 250ml milk
250ml sugar
1 cinnamon quill
160ml flour
50ml custard powder
50ml cornstarch
5 eggs, separated
2,5ml baking powder
20g butter
5ml vanilla
ground cinnamon for dusting

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray two 22cm tart tins with cooking spray.
Dust a work surface with flour and roll the pastry to 3mm thickness. Line the tart tins – the pastry should be about 1cm larger that the tins to allow for shrinkage during baking.
Place the prepared tart tins in the refrigerator until needed.

Pour 1 litre milk into a saucepan and add the sugar and cinnamon quill. Turn the heat on medium-high and stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Heat the milk mixture until it starts forming tiny bubbles around the edges of the saucepan.
Remove from the heat and take out the quill. Set aside.
Add the flour, custard powder and cornflour to a mixing bowl.
Drizzle in the remaining 250ml milk while whisking, to make a slurry.
Add the egg yolks to the slurry and whisk together.
Slowly pour the warm milk-mixture into the slurry while whisking continuously. Remember: pour slowly, whisk quickly!
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to a low heat.
Stir the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble. Take off the heat, add the butter and vanilla, stir through and set aside.
Add the baking powder to the egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the custard and divide the mixture between the two prepared tart tins.
Bake the tarts in the oven for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and immediately sift some ground cinnamon on the surface.
Serve with your favourite brew of coffee.