An indulgent eggnog-style custard tart. Its rich, silky and warmly spiced, capturing everything we love about festive desserts without the heaviness of Christmas pudding.
Prep: 1–2 hours
Cook: 1–2 hours
Serves: 12
Dietary: Vegetarian, nut-free
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
This eggnog-style custard tart scores a Nutri-Score D. It is a celebratory dessert designed for indulgence, featuring cream, egg yolks and sugar.
Estimated per slice: 460 kcal, fat 34g, saturates 21g, carbs 28g, sugars 22g, protein 7g.
Ingredients
For the custard tart
- 1 × 23cm ready-made sweet pastry tart shell
- 9 free-range egg yolks
- 120g caster sugar
- 100ml full-fat milk
- 550ml double cream
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground cloves
- 150ml dark rum (to taste)
- Icing sugar, to decorate
For the rum and nutmeg cream
- 300ml whipped cream
- Splash dark rum
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- Cocoa powder, to dust
Festive Tweaks
- Replace rum with brandy or bourbon.
- Add orange zest to the custard for brightness.
- Serve with poached pears or spiced plums.
Method
Prepare the custard base
- Preheat the oven to 160°C / 140°C Fan / Gas 3.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale, thick and ribbon-like.
- Heat the milk and cream with vanilla, cinnamon and cloves until just simmering.
- Infuse for 30 minutes, then gently reheat.
- Slowly pour the cream into the eggs, whisking constantly.
- Strain through a sieve, stir in the rum and pour into the pastry shell.
Bake and finish
- Bake for 45–60 minutes until just set with a gentle wobble.
- Cool completely and chill for several hours to fully set.
- Brûlée each slice using a blowtorch and dust lightly with icing sugar.
Rum and nutmeg cream
- Fold together whipped cream, rum, nutmeg and cocoa powder.
- Serve alongside the tart slices.
Suggested Drinks Pairing
- Pedro Ximénez Sherry – Sticky, raisined sweetness.
- Tawny Port – Nutty warmth and balance.
- Espresso or strong coffee – Cuts through the richness beautifully.