Lwazi’s Carrot Custard Tartlets

Carrot Custard Tartlets

Recipe by: Lwazi Sizwe Dlalisa
See more of Lwazi’s creations: instagram.com/benoitthechef

Short Crust Pastry

Cake flour – 1 1/2 cup
Icing sugar – 35g
Grounded cinnamon – 1 tsp
Grounded nutmeg – 1 tsp
Pinch of salt 
Cold unsalted butter (cubed) – 135g
1 egg yolk

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Sieve all dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and mix till combined.
Using your finger tips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like sand.
Make a hole in the center of your sand mixture and in goes your egg yolk. Mix until it forms a dough.
Lightly flour your work station and roll out your dough into a rectangular shape and cover it with a plastic wrap and rest it in the fridge for an hour.

Tips: Do not over handle the dough and make sure your hands are cold.

Prep your baking tray with grease proof paper and also use spray n cook.
After an hour lightly flour your work station and roll out your dough till thin but not too thin. Using a round pastry cutter, cut and line your pastry onto the mould and refrigerate for an hour and bake until golden brown .

Carrot Custard

Egg yolks – 4
Castor sugar – 80ml
Cornflour – 60ml
Grounded cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
Grounded nutmeg –  1/2 tsp
Cream – 1 cup 
Freshly squeezed carrot juice – 200ml
Vanilla essence 10ml
Pinch of salt

Method:

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together egg yolks, castor sugar, cornflour, cinnamon, nutmeg,salt and vanilla essence.
Pour cream into a medium saucepan and warm it up on a low medium heat on the stove. Pour a 1/4 cream into the egg mixture and mix till combined and back into the pot with the cream.
Cook and stir continuously until thick and slowly pour in your carrot juice and cook till it’s thick
Remove from stove and pour into a glass bowl and plastic wrap directly onto the custard to prevent a skin from forming 
Leave it out for about 15mins before refrigerating.

Cream Cheese Icing

Cream cheese – 1cup
Cream – 80ml
Icing sugar – 45ml
Grounded cinnamon – 1/2tsp
Grounded nutmeg – 1/2tsp
Pinch of salt

Method:

Sieve all dry ingredients into the cream cheese and mix till combined.
Add cream into the cream cheese mixture and mix till combined.
Pour the mixture into a piping bag and refrigerated until needed

Carrot Ribbons (Garnish)

Carrot shavings  – 9
Fresh thyme – 5 streaks 
Castor sugar – 1/2 cup
Water – 1 cup

Method:

Cook all ingredients in one saucepan on a low medium heat for 30mins or till the water turns into a syrup. 
Allow the carrot shavings to soak up the flavour before placing them on a baking sheet to dry out .
To make a ribbon, wrap the shaving on your index finger then slide off.

Assembly of the tart

Pour custard 3/4 way into the tart and pipe the cream cheese filling onto of the custard (use nice nozzles for pipping) and place your ribbons on top of the tart as garnish.

Tip: toast some peanuts to add on as garnish

Final Tip: BAKE WITH LOVE!!!