Chinese Custart Tarts

Ingredients

• 3 cups plain flour
• 185 g lard
• 5 tablespoons hot water
• 1 pinch salt

Custard

• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 drops yellow food coloring

Directions

1. 1

   To make the pastry, sift flour and salt into bowl. Rub lard into flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. 2

   Mix in hot water to form a firm dough. Knead lightly on lightly floured surface.

3. 3

   Roll out 3mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Cut out with an 8cm (3 inch) fluted cutter. Put into greased patty tins.

4. 4

   Beat together eggs and sugar. Gradually add milk. Mix in food colouring. Mix well.

5. 5

   Pour custart carefully into prepared pastry cases. Bake in hot oven (250°C/475°F) for 10 minutes, reduce heat to moderately hot (220°C/425°F), cook further 10-15 minutes, until set. Keep an eye on these while cooking, as mine only needed the first 10 minutes.