Doucetes
Yellow egg custard baked in shortcrust
City/Region: England
Time Period: 15th Century
Medieval monks generally fell into two categories: the kind who bent the monastic Rule of Saint Benedict and indulged in decadent food and plenty of it, and the kind who adhered strictly to the Rule of Saint Benedict and lived austere, contemplative lives. Based on the contemporary writings, it’s likely that the first kind of monks were much more common, so this is a dish for them.
This custard tart is just as delicious as modern ones and it reminds me of crème brûlée. In fact, since the filling was likely meant to be eaten with a spoon and the crust not eaten at all, it’s very much like a crème brûlée. These tarts as written are fairly sweet (just how I like them), but you could use less sugar if you like.
“Doucetes.
Take Cream a gode cupfulle, & put it on a straynoure, thanne take yolkys of Eyroun, and put ther-to, & a lytel mylke; then strayne it throw a straynoure in-to a bolle; then take a Sugre y-now, & put ther-to, or ellys hony forde faute of Sugre, than coloure it with Safroun; than take thin cofyns, & put in the ovynne letre, & lat hem ben hardyd; than take a dyssche y-fastenyd on the pelys ende, & pore thin comade in-to the dyssche, & fro the dyssche in-to the cofyns; & whan tehy don a-ryse wel, teke hem out, ee serue hem forth.”
Ingredients:
- A pinch saffron
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) cream
- 7 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- Dough for crust*
*See Notes below.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). You can make either one large 9 inch (23 cm) tart or about 22 tarts that are about 2 inches (5 cm). Whichever size you choose, line your pan(s) with the dough, then place a piece of parchment or foil in them and fill them with baking beans. If you use small perforated tart rings, you don’t need to use baking beans. Bake the tart crust for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans if you used them. Return the crust to the oven for another 5-7 minutes or until the crust is fully cooked. Let the crusts cool completely. After the crusts are done, lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
- Stir the saffron into the cream and let it steep for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the egg yolks to combine them, then pass the cream through a strainer into the egg yolks so that you strain out the saffron threads. Whisk until the egg yolks and cream are combined.
- Whisk in the milk, then slowly add the sugar, whisking continuously. Transfer the mixture to a container with a pouring lip.
- Place the cooled crusts on a baking sheet and set them on the oven rack. Pour the custard into the crusts, filling them most of the way. Bake smaller tarts for about 25 minutes and a larger tart for 45 minutes, or until they puff up and start to brown on top.
- Serve them forth warm.
Notes
They probably would have used something like a hot water crust that wasn’t meant to be eaten, but since I want to eat mine, I’m using a nice shortcrust pastry. Feel free to use whatever you like best.