Jamie Oliver's book '30 Minute Meals' is brilliant but as in a real-life kitchen the meals take longer than 30 minutes; well they do in mine anyway!
The recipes in the book are truly drool-worthy so not knowing what to cook first as I had my eye on several I went with these Quick Portuguese Custard Tarts. Drizzled with caramel they looked good.
Now as to whether or not they are like a traditional Portuguese tart, probably not. But they taste good and are seriously easy to make.
Read my Top Tips Before you make these!
You might also be a bit confused as I was when I went to make these the first time the book says one thing but his YouTube video is a little bit different.
The book says to cut the 375g pastry sheet in half and put one half in the fridge for another day.BUT if you do that, beware because you will not have enough pastry. Trust me on this.
To make 6 tarts you will need the whole 375g pack. The recipe below is exactly how I made these and as you can see they were a success.
In fact, if you're not in a big rush to get these gorgeous looking tarts into your belly, you could buy a 500g pack (the non-ready rolled kind) and roll it yourself.
Why? One it's cheaper, and two you'll find the custard is plenty enough to make 8 tarts (if you use 500g of pastry that is).
Please note: I had to throw a good amount of the custard away as there simply isn't enough room in the tarts to take it all 😕
Well, with all that said let us get on with the recipe!
Quick Portuguese Custard TartsMakes 6
Ingredients:
plain flour - for dusting
1 x 375g pack of pre-rolled puff pastry
ground cinnamon
125g crème fraîche
1 free-range egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract
zest of half an orange
For the Caramel:
5 tablespoons of golden caster sugar1 orange
Method:
Preheat your oven to 200c/400f or Gas 6Dust a clean surface with a tiny bit of flour.
Sprinkle over a few good pinches of cinnamon, then roll the pastry into a Swiss roll shape (cigar shape) use enough cinnamon to cover, use your fingers to smooth it over evenly.
Cut into 6 or 8 if you used 500g of pastry as I mentioned in my top tips above.
Stand the pastry rolls up on their ends and put them in 6 (or 8) holes of a muffin tin.
Use your thumbs to stretch and mould the pastry so the bottom is flat and the pastry comes up to the top of each muffin hole of the tin.
Put the tray on the top shelf of the oven and cook for around 10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Spoon the crème fraîche into a small bowl.Add the egg, vanilla paste or extract and 1 tablespoon of golden caster sugar and the zest of half an orange. Give it a good mix.
Take the muffin tin out of the oven and use a teaspoon to press the puffed up pastry back to the sides to make room for the filling.
Spoon the creme fraiche mixture into the tart cases, and return to the oven for 8-10 minutes.
Mine actually took 12 minutes. All ovens are different so keep an eye on them.
Meanwhile, put a small saucepan on high heat. Squeeze the juice from the zested orange and add 5 tablespoons of golden caster sugar.
Stir and keep an eye on it, remembering caramel can burn badly so please don't touch or taste.
Remove the tarts from the oven a pour some caramel over each one; they will still be wobbly but that's good. Put them aside to set.
From the 30-minute meals book, I also made Jamie Oliver Piri Piri Chicken.

Quick Portuguese Custard Tarts
ingredients:
- plain flour - for dusting
- 1 x 375g pack of pre-rolled puff pastry
- ground cinnamon
- 125g crème fraîche
- 1 free-range egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract
- zest of half an orange
- For the Caramel:
- 5 tablespoons of golden caster sugar
- 1 orange
instructions:
How to cook Quick Portuguese Custard Tarts
- Preheat your oven to 200c/400f or Gas 6
- Dust a clean surface with a tiny bit of flour.
- Sprinkle over a few good pinches of cinnamon, then roll the pastry into a Swiss roll shape (cigar shape) use enough cinnamon to cover, use your fingers to smooth it over evenly.
- Cut into 6 (or 8 if you used 500g of pastry) as I mentioned in my top tips in my post.
- Stand the pastry rolls up on their ends and put them in 6 (or 8) holes of a muffin tin.
- Use your thumbs to stretch and mould the pastry so the bottom is flat and the pastry comes up to the top of each muffin hole of the tin.
- Put the tray on the top shelf of the oven and cook for around 10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Spoon the crème fraîche into a small bowl.
- Add the egg, vanilla paste or extract and 1 tablespoon of golden caster sugar and the zest of half an orange. Give it a good mix.
- Take the muffin tin out of the oven and use a teaspoon to press the puffed up pastry back to the sides to make room for the filling.
- Spoon the creme fraiche mixture into the tart cases, and return to the oven for 8-10 minutes.
- Mine actually took 12 minutes. All ovens are different so keep an eye on them
- Meanwhile, put a small saucepan on high heat. Squeeze the juice from the zested orange and add 5 tablespoons of golden caster sugar.
- Stir and keep an eye on it, remembering caramel can burn badly so please don't touch or taste.
- Remove the tarts from the oven a pour some caramel over each one; they will still be wobbly but that's good. Put them aside to set.
i really want this book - these look fab
ReplyDeleteHe's so good isn't he? I have to order his Jamie at Home book.
ReplyDeleteHow yummy and easy!
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying his programme on TV. I love eveything Jamie. You can't beat a good tart!
ReplyDeleteThose look so tempting...!
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether I could make these in small glass ramekins? I don't have my muffin tin handy at the moment :(
ReplyDeleteHi Rabbiskitchen. It might work but glass doesn't get as hot as metal. I'd try baking just one in a glass ramekin first to see what happens!
ReplyDeleteOr just shaping one and placing it on a baking sheet if you have one?
Or, what about cutting out circles of kitchen foil and making little holders to put the dough in. Shape the dough first with your hands. I'm just thinking that might conduct the heat better than glass as it's only thin??
Let me know if it works - I'm sure they'll be fine.
Hi, I'm from malaysia. I will bake this for tomorrow
ReplyDelete