Classic Frangipane Tart with Homemade Custard

In a mixing bowl, combine the plain flour, icing sugar, and fine sea salt. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the beaten egg and gently bring the dough together. Knead very lightly just until smooth. Form into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Roll the chilled pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness. Carefully line the 23cm tart tin, pressing gently into the fluted edges. Trim the excess overhang, prick the base lightly with a fork, and chill for another 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. Line the chilled pastry case with baking paper and fill completely with pie weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes.

Carefully remove the baking paper and weights, then return the tart shell to the oven for another 10 minutes until the base is dry and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.

To make the frangipane, place the softened butter and caster sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until very pale, light, and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a spoonful of the measured flour. Mix in the almond extract.

Gently fold in the almond meal and the remaining plain flour until a smooth, thick batter forms.

Spread the frangipane filling evenly into the cooled tart shell using a spatula. Scatter the flaked almonds over the entire surface.

Lower the oven temperature to 170C/340F. Bake the tart for 35 to 40 minutes until the filling is puffed, golden brown, and set in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the tart cools, prepare the custard. In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla seeds, and the empty pod. Heat gently until steaming and small bubbles appear at the edges. Do not let it boil.

In a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together for about 2 minutes until thick and pale yellow.

Remove the vanilla pod from the hot milk. Slowly pour the hot liquid into the egg yolk mixture in a thin, steady stream while whisking continuously to temper the eggs.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula in a figure-eight motion, until the custard thickens and reaches 82C/180F. It must safely coat the back of the spoon.

Immediately pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl or jug to stop the cooking process and catch any cooked egg bits. Serve warm alongside thick slices of the cooled frangipane tart.