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Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Thursday, September 1, 2011

I'm a sucker for custard. Anything creamy, smooth and sweet is a weakness. When I see fruit or berry tarts with custard on a menu or in a pastry shop, I will always cave in and get one. We went to dinner at some friend's house (remember the pork loin?) and I got to bring dessert. Of course I can't just stop at one dessert, so besides the Candied Pecan Caramel Swirl Ice Cream, I took berry tarts. So yummy! And so easy! I used my cream brulee dishes with this but you can use the store bought foil cups if you want and they would work just as well.

Vanilla Custard Berry Tarts



1 recipe Christie’s Pie Dough or purchased pie dough
6 – 8 tart ramekins

Divide dough into 6 – 8 pieces.

Roll out a piece of dough a little larger than the ramekin then place it into the dish. After dough is in the dish, allow the excess dough to fall over the edges. Run your rolling pin over the edge of the dish to cut off the overhang. Repeat with the rest of the dough and ramekins. Chill for 15 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Vanilla Custard

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat (about 20 minutes), whisking constantly; boil, whisking constantly or until thickened.
Remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla.

Ladle custard into baked tart shells.

Place heavy duty plastic wrap directly on surface of custard to keep "skin" from forming.

Chill 2 hours.

Arrange washed and cut berries on top of custard. Brush fruit with warmed preserves.




You'll need this.....


...and these.


Make your pie dough and roll it out big enough to fit into your tart pan.


Tuck the dough into the tart pan all nice and tidy.


Let the edges hang over then roll your rolling pin over the edge of the tart pan.


Look!! See how clean? Nice, huh? Prick the pie dough.


Combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks and milk and cook until bubbly.


Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter.


These are the BAKED tart shells. You want them a nice golden brown.


Ladle the custard into the baked tart shells then lay a piece of plastic directly over the custard. Chill the filled tarts for a few hours.


Arrange your berries on top of the chilled custard.


Then paint the berries with some jam. I used raspberry, but you can use almost anything.


See how pretty??


Irresistible!!!