Crème brûlée tarts (Post Pavlova tarts)

Previously on "Kyoto.B bakes", I baked a Pavlova using 4 egg whites.  Obviously I had 4 egg yolks leftover. 
I could have made ice cream, mayonnaise, or custard, but in the end I decided to go with "crème brûlée tarts" which are basically posh custard tarts. As I used one egg yolk for the pastry dough, it was easier to work with than using no binding agent at all. And better still, the texture of the pastry melted in my mouth.  So, there was no waste. I used all the leftover egg yolks. Job done. 

I could have made an authentic crème brûlée by sprinkling some sugar on top of the baked tarts and caramelising with a blowtorch. As I don't have such fancy equipment, I just sprinkled demerara sugar on them instead. Just the job. 
I know they are rather chunky looking tarts but I enjoyed the "shortbread" style pastry. 
Of course you can make them as elegant as you wish by making very thin pastry.

Ingredients   (For 12 small tarts)

For Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 60g icing sugar
• 125g butter, chilled, chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons chilled water

For Custard               

• 300 ml pouring cream
• 1 egg
• 3 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Method

1. Mix the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and water and process until the dough just comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
2. Preheat oven to 180ºC (fan oven).  Grease the muffin baking tray. Roll the dough and cut 12 round thin discs. Place them in the muffin baking tray.
3. Cover the pastry bases with non-stick baking paper. Fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and baking beans. Bake for 6 minutes or until golden. Reduce temperature to 140ºC (fan oven).
4. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Whisk the egg, sugar, vanilla bean paste and extra egg yolks in a heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in the cream until combined. Pour the custard mixture into the pastry cases. Bake for 20 minutes or until just set. Sprinkle the tarts with demerara sugar. Set aside to cool completely.