Welcome to my kitchen! Today, we’re making something truly special: Honey Lavender Custard Tarts. These little tarts are bursting with floral and sweet flavors, and they are easier to make than you might think. Get ready to impress your friends and family with these delightful Honey Lavender Custard Tarts!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
You are going to absolutely adore these Honey Lavender Custard Tarts. First off, the flavor combination is just magical. The gentle floral notes of lavender perfectly complement the sweetness of honey in a creamy custard. Plus, the buttery, flaky crust adds the perfect texture contrast. This recipe is also great because it looks fancy but is actually quite simple to put together. It’s the perfect treat for a special occasion, or just a lovely way to brighten up any day. These Honey Lavender Custard Tarts are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4 cup ice water
For the Custard:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds, culinary grade
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Crust
In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix. Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time is important for a flaky crust!
Step 2: Roll Out the Crust and Prepare Tart Shells
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out circles slightly larger than your tart tins. Gently press the dough circles into the tart tins, trimming any excess dough from the edges. Prick the bottom of each tart shell with a fork.
Step 3: Blind Bake the Tart Shells
Line the tart shells with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the crusts are lightly golden. Let the tart shells cool completely. This pre-baking step ensures a crisp crust for our Honey Lavender Custard Tarts.
Step 4: Make the Lavender Honey Infused Cream
While the crusts are cooling, let’s make the custard. In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, honey, and dried lavender buds. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let it steep for 30 minutes to infuse the lavender flavor. This steeping is key to getting that lovely lavender taste in our Honey Lavender Custard Tarts.
Step 5: Prepare the Egg Yolks
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and salt until lightly combined.
Step 6: Temper the Egg Yolks
Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper them. Tempering just means slowly warming up the eggs so they don’t cook too quickly when added to the hot cream. This prevents the eggs from scrambling when you add them to the hot cream.
Step 7: Combine and Cook the Custard
Strain the lavender-infused cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the lavender buds. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture into the strained cream in the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Be patient and keep stirring to prevent scorching!
Step 8: Fill the Tart Shells and Bake
Pour the warm custard into the cooled tart shells, filling them almost to the top. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until the custard is just set but still slightly jiggly in the center. The centers will set completely as they cool.
Step 9: Cool and Chill
Let the Honey Lavender Custard Tarts cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the custard to fully set.
Serving Suggestions
These Honey Lavender Custard Tarts are delicious on their own, but you can make them even more special with a few simple touches. For a pretty presentation, sprinkle a few extra dried lavender buds or a drizzle of honey on top just before serving. Fresh berries like blueberries or raspberries also pair wonderfully with the lavender and honey flavors.
These tarts are perfect for afternoon tea, brunch, or dessert after a light meal. They are also fancy enough for special occasions like birthdays or holidays. Imagine serving these beautiful Honey Lavender Custard Tarts at your next garden party – your guests will be so impressed!
Storage and Reheating
To store your Honey Lavender Custard Tarts, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Custard tarts are best served cold, so reheating isn’t really necessary. If you prefer them slightly less cold, you can let them sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving. However, avoid heating them in the oven or microwave as the custard can become watery or the crust can get soggy.
Key Details
Prep Time: 45 minutes (includes dough chilling)
Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: Makes about 6-8 tarts (depending on tart tin size)
Equipment You’ll Need:
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry blender or your fingers
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter or knife
- Tart tins
- Parchment paper
- Pie weights or dried beans
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Fine-mesh sieve
Honey Lavender Custard Tarts
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4 cup ice water
- For the Custard:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds culinary grade
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make the Crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix. Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll Out the Crust and Prepare Tart Shells: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out circles slightly larger than your tart tins. Gently press the dough circles into the tart tins, trimming any excess dough from the edges. Prick the bottom of each tart shell with a fork.
- Blind Bake the Tart Shells: Line the tart shells with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the crusts are lightly golden. Let the tart shells cool completely.
- Make the Lavender Honey Infused Cream: While the crusts are cooling, let's make the custard. In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, honey, and dried lavender buds. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let it steep for 30 minutes to infuse the lavender flavor.
- Prepare the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and salt until lightly combined.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper them.
- Combine and Cook the Custard: Strain the lavender-infused cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the lavender buds. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture into the strained cream in the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Fill the Tart Shells and Bake: Pour the warm custard into the cooled tart shells, filling them almost to the top. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until the custard is just set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Cool and Chill: Let the Honey Lavender Custard Tarts cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the custard to fully set.
