Cardamom-Vanilla Melktert with Sweet Shortcrust

Method

1. Crack the cardamom pods lightly with the flat of a knife. Heat the milk, cream, cinnamon stick and cardamom in a pan (16 cm) on medium heat for 4 min, until steaming. Turn off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 20 min.

   Add in this stepMilk 200 mlDouble cream 50 mlCinnamon stick 1Green cardamom pods 3

   medium heat

2. Rub the cold butter into the flour, icing sugar and salt with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Separate the egg: add the yolk (keep the white) and as much of the cold water as needed, stir with a fork and press together without kneading. Wrap and chill for 30 min.

   Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 120 gCold unsalted butter, diced 60 gIcing sugar 25 gSalt ½ pinchEgg (yolk for the pastry, white for sealing) 1Cold water ½ tbsp

3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Roll the pastry to 3 mm, line a tart tin (16 cm), trim, prick the base and chill for 15 minutes. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans.

   oven

4. Bake in the oven for 14 min, remove the paper and beans and brush the inside of the case thinly with the reserved egg white, lightly beaten. Bake for 6 min more until deep golden: the white forms a seal that keeps the base crisp. Let it cool.

   oven

5. Strain the infused milk back into the pan and reheat on medium heat for 2 min. Whisk the eggs, sugar, cornflour and salt until smooth, whisk in the hot milk gradually, then return everything to the pan and whisk on medium-low heat for 5 min, until thick; keep whisking 1 more minute to cook the starch.

   Add in this stepEggs (for the filling) 1Sugar 40 gCornflour 15 gSalt ½ pinch

   medium heat→medium-low heat

6. Off the heat, whisk in the filling butter and vanilla until glossy. Pour into the case and level. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for 3 h.

   Add in this stepButter (for the filling) 10 gVanilla extract ½ tsp

7. Just before serving, dust with cinnamon through a fine sieve. For clean slices, dip the knife in hot water and wipe it between cuts.

   Add in this stepGround cinnamon ½ tsp