Rice Flour Custard Tarts
These delicate Parsi-style custard tarts feature a smooth, aromatic filling made from fresh milk and rice flour, encased in a flaky pastry shell. Infused with zesty lemon peel and enriched with butter and eggs, the custard achieves a light, soufflé-like texture thanks to the folded beaten egg whites. Topped with sweet currants and baked to golden perfection, these historical "cheesecakes" offer a delightful blend of creamy and crisp textures perfect for tea time.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Whole milk (Originally '0.5 seer'. Converted to approx 500ml/2 cups.)
- 1/2 cup Rice flour (Originally '5 tolas'. Approx 60g.)
- 2 large Eggs (Separated into yolks and whites.)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest (Finely chopped peel of 1 lemon.)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (Use a flat teaspoon.)
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar (Quantity estimated for sweetness (originally 'sweetness sufficient').)
- 2 tablespoons Butter (Originally '2.5 tolas'. Approx 30g.)
- 2 tablespoons Dried currants (Cleaned and washed.)
- 1 sheet Puff pastry (Thawed. Originally referred to a crust recipe in the book.)
Instructions
- 1Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks thoroughly with a fork. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Clean and wash the currants and set aside. Finely chop the lemon peel.
- 2Take about 1/2 cup of the milk and mix it gradually with the rice flour to form a smooth paste without lumps. Pour the remaining milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the rice flour paste. Add the lemon peel, salt, butter, and sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly. Remove from heat and allow it to cool completely.
- 3Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Once the cooked custard mixture is cool, fold in the beaten egg yolks, followed gently by the stiff egg whites. Grease small tart tins (kedia) with butter. Cut the puff pastry into squares or circles to fit the tins, line them, and trim the edges neatly. Fill each tart shell with the custard mixture and sprinkle a few currants on top of each.
- 4Place the tarts in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is set and slightly puffed. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.