Cardamom Creme Brulee Tart recipe which should have had a nice Christmas decoration.
In preparation for the Christmas holidays I decided to prepare a crème brulee in a tart version. The original idea was to create a Christmas falling star as a stencil. I would have sprinkle sugar on top, removed the stencil and caramelized the sugar using a blowtorch.
Results: you could not see the shape at all. Everything was recorded on my Instagram stories, now available in the Highlights section for everyone’s amusement.
From “Decoration ot the Year 2019” this tart was degraded to common tart. But since the taste was very enjoyable I decided to post it anyway (see add-on edit at the end).
I hadn’t been using my beloved cardamom for months. It was due.
I made a normal shortcrust pastry tart, blind baked first and finished baking with the cardamom flavored custard cream, with some added mascarpone cheese.
Lastly I caramelized the sugar with the blowtorch. Alternatively the grill can be used, just be careful not to burn the crust.
Recipe Update 16/12/2019 Christmas Edition
I updated the recipe by swapping the mascarpone with spreadable cheese. But most importantly I coated the bottom of the tart shell with a layer of jam in order to protect it against humidity (in the first attempts the base was too soggy). I used a fig jam, but you can pick you favorite.
The Christmas edition was made by cutting a piece of paper as the tail of a Xmas falling star. Once the tart had cooled off I positioned the stencil on the tart and sprinkled sugar all over. Then I removed the stencil and caramelized the sugar with the blow torch.
I completed positioning a little star shaped biscuit made with the excess shortcrust pastry.
Cardamom Crème Brûlée Tart
Ingredients
For the tart shell:
- 400 g shortcrust pastry (14.1 oz) see here
For the cardamom crème brulee:
- 150 g milk 5.3 oz
- 150 g cream 5.3 oz
- 150 g spreadable cheese 5.3 oz
- 80 g sugar 2.8 oz
- 4 egg yolks
- 35 g cornstarch 1.2 oz
- 100 g fig jam or any other jam 3.5 oz
- 5 cardamom pods the seeds
- grated lemon zest ½ lemon
Extras:
- sugar to caramelize
- dry legumes or baking beans for the blind bake
Instructions
For the blind baked tart:
- Preheat the oven at 170° C (338° F).
- On the slightly floured work surface roll out the shortcrust dough, approx 4 mm (0.15 in) in height.
- Randomly score the dough with a fork.
- Roll the dough on the rolling pin and unroll it over the pan.
- Position the dough and cut the parts in excess.
- Place a slightly wet and wrung disc of parchment paper in the crust. Fill with baking beans or any other type of dry legumes.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 170° C (338° F) for 18 minutes.
- Remove the legumes and the parchment paper.
For the cardamom crème brulee:
- Open the cardamom pods and extract the seeds.
- Put the seeds together with the milk, cream and grated lemon zest in a small pot on medium heat.
- Meanwhile combine the sugar together with cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and combine (no need to beat the egg yolks).
- When the liquids reach boiling point add them to the sugar and egg yolk mixture. Stir vigorously to avoid the formation of lumps.
- Put everything back in the pot on medium heat for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly. The cream should not thicken, it will do so during baking.
- In a medium sized bowl soften the mascarpone with a fork. Add the cream to the mascarpone and stir with a whisk until dissolved.
- Pour the cream in the tart shell.
- Bake at 150° C (302° F) for 30 minutes.
- Let the tart cool off completely before transferring it in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Sprinkle the tart with sugar. Caramelize using the blowtorch or under the grill for 1 or 2 minutes, paying attention not to burn the crust.