Barrel-Aged Liquor Custard Tarts with Tempered Sugar Work Recipe
Silky custard infused with barrel-aged whiskey encased in buttery shortcrust pastry, topped with delicate shards of tempered sugar that shatter with each decadent bite.
Ingredients
<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the pastry:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">225g plain flour</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">125g cold unsalted butter, cubed</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">30g icing sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 large egg yolk</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2-3 tbsp ice-cold water</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">¼ tsp salt</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the custard filling:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">500ml full-fat milk</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">6 large egg yolks</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">100g caster sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">40g cornflour</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">60ml barrel-aged whiskey (or bourbon/aged rum)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the tempered sugar work:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">200g granulated sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">60ml water</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">¼ tsp cream of tartar</li></ul>
Equipment
<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">6 x 10cm fluted tart tins with removable bases</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Digital cooking thermometer</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Silicone mat or baking parchment</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Pastry brush</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Ceramic baking beans or dried pulses</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Heavy-bottomed saucepan</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Fine mesh sieve</li></ul>
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Directions
<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Begin with the pastry by placing the flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Cold butter creates pockets of steam during baking, resulting in a flaky, tender crust.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water, pulsing briefly until the dough just begins to come together. If needed, add the remaining tablespoon of water, but be careful not to overwork the dough as this develops gluten, making the pastry tough.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently form into a disc. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling relaxes the gluten and firms the butter, preventing shrinkage during baking.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>Preheat your oven to 180°C. Roll the chilled pastry to 3-4mm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut circles slightly larger than your tart tins and carefully line each tin, pressing gently into the fluted edges. Trim excess pastry and prick the bases with a fork.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>Line each pastry case with baking parchment and fill with ceramic beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for a further 5-7 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp. Set aside to cool completely.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>For the custard, heat the milk with the vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan until just below boiling point. Remove from heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes before removing the vanilla pod.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour until pale and thick. The cornflour acts as a stabilizer, preventing the eggs from curdling when heated and giving the custard its characteristic thickness.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon - around 82-84°C on a thermometer.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>Remove from heat and stir in the barrel-aged whiskey. The alcohol's flavor is more pronounced when added after cooking, while much of the alcohol evaporates. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and cover the surface directly with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool slightly.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>Fill the cooled tart shells with the warm (not hot) custard. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until the custard is completely set.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 11</h4>For the tempered sugar work, line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. The cream of tartar is an acid that prevents crystallization, ensuring smooth sugar work.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 12</h4>Heat the mixture without stirring until it reaches 150°C (hard crack stage) on a sugar thermometer. The mixture should be a light amber color. Immediately remove from heat and carefully pour thin streams or small pools onto your prepared surface, creating decorative shapes. Work quickly as the sugar will set rapidly.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 13</h4>Allow the sugar work to cool and harden completely before carefully lifting from the surface. If the day is humid, make the sugar work just before serving as humidity will cause it to soften and lose its shine.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 14</h4>Just before serving, arrange your tempered sugar decorations atop each custard tart. The contrast between the smooth, creamy custard and the crisp, glassy sugar creates a wonderful textural experience. Serve immediately once decorated, as the sugar will begin to dissolve into the custard over time.</li></ol>
Chef’s Notes
A few helpful details for making this recipe.
What's the best whiskey to use for custard desserts?
For custard desserts, choose whiskeys with notes of vanilla, caramel or honey that complement the creamy base. Bourbon works beautifully with its sweet profile, while aged single malts add complexity. The liquor shouldn't overwhelm—aim for 12-18 year aged varieties with 40-43% ABV.
How do you prevent custard tarts from curdling or weeping?
To prevent curdling, gradually temper hot milk into egg mixture while constantly whisking, and cook to precisely 82-84°C. Avoid overheating. For weeping prevention, don't skip the cornflour stabiliser, cool custard with cling film directly on surface, and ensure tarts remain refrigerated.
Why is my sugar work becoming sticky or losing its shine?
Sugar work becomes sticky in humid environments as sugar is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from the air. For best results, create sugar decorations on dry days, add cream of tartar to prevent crystallisation, heat precisely to 150°C, and store briefly in airtight containers with silica gel packets.
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