Portuguese custard tarts

1. Mix the flour and icing sugar together and use them to dust the work surface. Roll the pastry into a 45x30cm rectangle, then roll it up along its length into a long sausage shape.
2. Cut the pastry into 24 wheels, roughly 1 to 2cm thick.
3. Roll each wheel out lightly with a rolling pin to fit two 12-hole non-stick fairy cake tins.
4. Press the pastry circles into the tins, working them into thin cases, and chill until needed.
5. Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Make a sugar syrup by bringing the sugar, 200ml water, lemon zest and cinnamon stick to the boil, then reducing until syrupy. Cool it, then lift out the cinnamon and lemon. In another large pan, whisk the eggs, egg yolks and cornflour together until smooth.
6. Warm the milk and vanilla seeds in a separate pan until it is just short of boiling. Pour the hot milk gradually over the egg and cornflour mixture, then cook over a low heat, whisking the whole time.
7. Whisk the cooled syrup into the custard until it thickens a little.
8. Pass the custard through a sieve and into the pastry cases, then bake for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden and the custard has taken on colour.
9. Leave them to cool completely in the tins, then dust with icing sugar and ground cinnamon to serve.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Roll and chill the pastry well so the cases bake up crisp and flaky.
• Pass the custard through a sieve before filling so it sets perfectly smooth.
• Bake them in a very hot oven to get those signature scorched, caramelised spots.
• Fill the cases just shy of the rim, since the custard rises as it bakes.