Ingredients

Method

For the base:
• 400 g Tennis biscuits
• 100 g butter, melted
For the filling:
• 4 free-range eggs
• 200 g sugar, plus 6 t
• 3 T corn flour
• 3 t flour
• 1 1⁄2 t custard powder
• 1⁄4 t salt
• 4 cups milk
• 3 t butter
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
• 1 t nutmeg
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves

Method

Ingredients

Crush the biscuits until fine and pour in the butter. Mix well.

Press the mixture into a 30 cm tin or cast-iron pot and chill for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

To make the filling, beat the eggs and 200 g sugar until thick and creamy. Set aside.

Mix the corn flour, flour, custard powder and salt. Pour in 3 T milk and stir until a smooth paste is formed. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, mix until smooth.

In a pan, heat the remaining milk, butter, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and bay leaves. When hot, remove the bay leaves.

Pour 2 t milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Continue adding the hot milk to the egg mixture, stirring continually. Return the egg mixture to the pan and cook, stirring, over a low heat until the mixture is thick.

Pour the custard over the base and chill for 2 hours or overnight. Before serving, sprinkle the remaining sugar over and blowtorch the top until golden.

Cook's note: This is no ordinary milk tart. The filling is fridge-set, for starters. Sprinkle it with sugar and blowtorch for dramatic effect, then serve slices with cups of good coffee. Your guests will thank you. Repeatedly.