Puits D'Amour
(Custard Tarts with almond pastry case)
Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 200 grams white flour

• 1 tablespoon water 
  (adjust quantity to obtain a pastry 
  that holds together well)

• 100 grams almond flour

• 90 grams softened butter

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon fine sugar

Custard Filling (Crème Pâtissière):

• 2 egg yolks

• 50 grams caster sugar

• 25 grams plain flour

• 1 cup milk

• 1/3 vanilla pod (cut in half)

1. Making the pastry:
   Sift the pastry flour and almond flour into a mixing bowl. Mix well. Make a well in the middle. Add the egg yolk, sugar, water and softened butter. Mix with the fingers without kneading (sans pétrir) until a consistent mix is obtained. Add a little more water to ensure that pastry will stick well together. Collect into a pastry ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in fridge for 1 hour.
2. Custard filling:
   Heat milk without boiling, add vanilla pod. Mix egg yolk and sugar together well. Add flour and mix. Pour the hot milk little by little over the egg, sugar and flour mixture. Mix well together. Transfer into a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens stirring continuously (about 1 to 2 minutes). Be careful not to overcook. Remove while still slightly flowing to avoid custard getting too thick. Transfer into a mixing bowl. Whisk well and allow to cool.
3. Heat up oven to 180 degree centigrade. Lightly butter 6
   9 cm / 3 1/2 in tartlet tins. Roll the pastry into a sheet about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick. Using a tartlet tin as a guide, cut out six rounds, re-rolling trimmings as necessary. Use the pastry rounds to line the tins, then roll the rolling pin over the top of the tins to cut off the excess pastry. Prick the bases with a fork. 
4. Line the pastry cases with foil and add a layer of dry beans such as kidney beans (alternatively use crumpled aluminium foil instead of beans). Bake for 15 minutes until slightly dry and set, then remove the foil and beans and continue baking for a further 5 minutes or until slightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Spoon the custard into the casings without overfilling. Top with a slight trickle of golden syrup or sprinkle with coarse white sugar.
6. Enjoy.