Custard Puits D’amour

Cook Time 45 minutes plus chilling

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 sheet of all butter puff pastry

Custard Crème

500ml milk

200g raw caster sugar

100g eggs yolks (from about 4 eggs)

50g corn flour

Little vanilla bean paste

260g sea salt dark chocolate

A touch of sea salt, chopped

40g Butter

Raspberry Jam

Few drops of violet extract (optional)

Chilli dark chocolate block

To brûlée

Little sugar

Decorate with candied violets

Method

For the tart cases, using a 5 cm cookie cutter, cut out 12 discs from the almost defrosted puff pastry (it is easier for the circles to remain the shape if the pastry is firm still). Using a 3 cm cookie cutter, cut circles out of the centre of 8 of the circles. The off cuts are perfect for delicious Palmier cookies.

Lightly brush the underside of the puff pastry discs with water. Stack two circles on top of each full disc, ensuring to line up the edges to ensure an even rise.

Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill for 1 hour before baking. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Bake pastry vol-au-vents until golden and crisp (around 20 minutes). 

For the crème, bring the milk and half the sugar to the boil. While the milk is heating, combine the egg yolks, corn flour, vanilla and remaining sugar in a separate bowl. Add a small portion of the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture and stir well. Then add egg yolk milk mixture to remaining milk. Whisk and return to the heat. Cook to a thick custard. Take off the heat. 

Add the chocolate and butter. Mix until silky and smooth. Place into a shallow dish and cover directly with some cling film and cool fully.

To assemble, mix little violet extract with the raspberry jam and place a generous teaspoon of the mixture in each pastry case. Place a small piece of chilli dark chocolate in the jam. Top generously with chocolate custard.

Sprinkle surface of the custard with sugar and using a torch, brûlée the surface to create a rich, caramel crust. Finish with candied violets.