PORTUGUESE TART WITH STICKY CINNAMON HONEY

This rich, honey-spiked Portuguese tart is the perfect size for entertaining.

INGREDIENTS

• 375g sheet frozen all-butter puff pastry (we used Carême – 52cm x 26cm sheet), thawed
• 240g caster sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups (500ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (125ml) pure (thin) cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• Pared zest of 1 lemon
• 70g plain flour, plus extra to dust
• 300g honey
• 6 egg yolks

METHOD

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan-forced). Grease a 23cm, 1.5L-capacity pie dish.
• 2
  Place pastry on a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour and cut into 6 even squares. Combine 2 tbs sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a bowl, then sprinkle pastry squares evenly with 1 tbs cinnamon sugar, reserving remaining. Stack pastry squares directly on top of one another, then use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out to a 40cm square.
• 3
  Line prepared dish with pastry, allowing excess to overhang. Fold over pastry edges to create a thicker crust, then use your thumb and forefinger to roughly crimp. Lightly prick the base of pastry case with a fork and sprinkle all over with remaining cinnamon sugar. Line with baking paper and fill with pastry weights right up to sides. Freeze for 15 minutes or until firm, then bake for 30 minutes or until edges are light golden. Remove weights and paper, and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the base is dry to the touch. (If the base has puffed up, use the back of a spoon to lightly press pastry down). Set aside.
• 4
  Reduce oven temperature to 180°C.
• 5
  Meanwhile, to make filling, place milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds, and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to infuse. Strain through a fine sieve, discarding solids. Wipe saucepan clean, then add the flour to pan. Gradually whisk in the milk mixture to combine, then place over medium heat and cook, whisking, for 4-5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
• 6
  Place 200g honey, remaining 200g sugar and 1 tbs water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until dark golden and it reaches 110°C on a sugar thermometer. Whisking constantly, gradually add the syrup to the milk mixture until combined, then add the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Carefully pour into the pastry case. Place on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface and the filling has a slight wobble.
• 7
  Using a kitchen blowtorch, caramelise the tart surface, then set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
• 8
  To make sticky cinnamon honey, place remaining 100g honey and 1 tsp cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then transfer to a heatproof serving dish and serve with the tart.

• NOTES

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  You will need a sugar thermometer and a kitchen blowtorch