Cream Custard Tart

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Doucetes.  Take Creme a gode cupfulle, & put it on a straynour,  thanne
take yolkes of Eyroun, and put ther-to, & a lytel mylke; then  strayne
it throw a straynour in-to a bolle; then take Sugre y-nowe, &  put
ther-to, or ellys hony forde faute of Sugre, than coloure it with
Safroun; than take thin cofyns, & put it in the ovynne letre, & lat
hem ben hardyd; than take a dyssche y-fastenyd on the pelys ende, &
pore thin comade in-to the dyssche, & for the dyssche in-to the
cofyns; & whan they don a-ryse wel, teke hem out, & serue hem forth.
Pulverised dried saffron strands  Shortcrust pastry made with 225 g/8
oz flour, 65 g/2 1/2 oz butter,  40 g/1 1/2 oz lard, and cold water to
mix  6 egg yolks 350 ml/12 fl oz/ 1 1/2 cups double cream 125 ml/4 fl
oz/  1/2 cup milk 65 g/2 1/2 oz white sugar 1/4 teaspoon sea salt  I
first noticed this version of the old recipe in The Babees Book,  and
it seemed just right as a sweet dish for the youngsters being  taught
from that book.  There is a richer version made with almond  milk for
fast days outside Lent.  Soak the saffron in 2 tablespoons water until
the water is deep gold  in colour.  Use the pastry to make a case 5
cm/2 inches deep in a  20-cm/8-inch pie plate or cake tin with a loose
bottom.  Bake 'blind'  in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for
15-20 minutes, then  remove the filling of dried beans and return the
case to the oven at  about 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3 for 6-8 minutes until
dried out and firm.  Remember a cake tin is deeper than a pie plate so
the case in it may  need longer baking than usual.  Beat the egg yolks
lightly in a bowl, then beat in the cream, milk,  sugar, saffron water
and salt.  Pour the custard into the pastry  case. Bake it at
160C/325F/Gas Mark 3 for about 45 minutes or until  it is just set in
the centre.  Serve warm.  Make small tarts if you prefer.  The full
recipe quantity of pastry  will make 36 tarts, using a 7.5 cm/3 inch
cutter.  You will need two  thirds of the filling for them.  from The
Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black Chapter 5, "Of Manners and  Meals"
posted by Tiffany Hall-Graham  Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #538 by
Bobbi Zee <zpegasus@tsrcom.com>  on Mar 23, 1997

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