- 750g/1lb 10oz plain flour
- 1 free-range egg, plus 2 free-range egg yolks
- 225g/8oz unsalted butter
- 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- 500ml/18fl oz full-fat milk
- 1 fresh vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out
- 5 free-range egg yolks
- 80g/3oz golden caster sugar
- 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags
- 150g/5½oz prunes
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease a 22cm/9in flan tin.
- For the pastry, mix the flour, egg and yolks, butter and sugar in a food processor to form a soft dough. Form the pastry into a thick disc, wrap in cling film and place in fridge until firm. (About 20minutes.)
- Roll out the pastry into a shape large enough to cover the tin. Press the pastry into the tin and cover with a piece of baking parchment. Fill with baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is just beginning to colour. Set aside to cool.
- Pour the full-fat milk into a heavy-based saucepan. Add the vanilla pod and seeds. Bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat.
- Put egg yolks into a large bowl with the caster sugar and whisk until thick and pale.
- Slowly pour the vanilla-infused milk through a sieve onto the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Discard the pod and set the custard aside to cool slightly.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 100C/225F/Gas ¼.
- Pour the custard into the pastry tin and bake for a further 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, for the prunes, combine 150ml/5fl oz water and the sugar in a pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the tea bags and bring to the boil.
- Add the prunes and set aside to allow the prunes to soak up the tea. When cool, remove the tea bags.
- Once the tart has cooked (there should just be a bit of a wobble in the centre of the tart when it is shaken slightly), remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- To serve, reheat the prunes and serve alongside slices of the custard tart.