Mattentaart (Belgian Custard Tart)
A classic Belgian custard tart with crispy pastry crust and silky vanilla-custard filling. Rich, elegant, and deceptively simple to make at home.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 5g
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- 3 whole egg yolks
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1
Place 1.5 cups flour and 0.5 cup cold butter cubes in a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour by pinching and rolling the mixture until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs, about 3 minutes.
- 2
Add 1 egg yolk to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together into a ball, about 1 minute.
- 3
Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom, pushing gently with your thumb to cover all gaps.
- 4
Set the oven to 375°F and wait until the indicator light or beep confirms heating is complete, about 10 minutes.
- 5
Bake the pastry shell alone (unfilled) for 10 minutes until the edges just begin to turn light golden, then remove it from the oven.
- 6
Pour 2 cups milk into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steam rises from the surface and the milk is steaming but not boiling, about 5 minutes.
- 7
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 remaining egg yolks, 0.75 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture is pale yellow and uniform, about 2 minutes.
- 8
Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling, until all milk is incorporated.
- 9
Pour the custard mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits, pressing gently with a spoon.
- 10
Pour the strained custard into the warm pastry shell, filling it to just below the rim.
- 11
Bake the tart at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes until the custard is set around the edges but still jiggles slightly in the center when you gently shake the pan, like soft pudding.
- 12
Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- fork
- 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom
- oven
- medium saucepan
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- fine-mesh strainer
- wire cooling rack
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