Fennel seed custard tarts

Method

1. Begin by making the pastry. Put the flour, ground almonds and icing sugar in a stand mixer with a beater attachment. Mix until well combined, then add the chopped butter with the motor running until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the salt and one of the eggs and mix at a medium speed just until a dough forms (add a tiny splash of water if you need to). Flour your work surface, then tip out the dough and briefly work with your hands until smooth. Form into a rough square, wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or ideally overnight: see Tips).
2. Put the fennel seeds in a large dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant and beginning to brown (3-5 minutes). Put a third of the toasted seeds in a saucepan (reserve the rest) and pour in the cream. Bring the cream to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 2 hours (or see Tips).
3. Once the pastry has rested, heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. Lightly flour your work surface and cut the pastry into 6 equal portions. Roll out each piece of pastry until it’s 4-5mm thick. Use the pastry to line the tart tins, gently pushing the pastry into the flutes with a small ball of excess pastry. Trim away any overhang (see Tips), then line with foil or baking paper and fill with baking beans or dry rice. Blind-bake the pastry cases for 15 minutes, then remove the beans/rice and paper and return to the oven for 3-5 minutes more until golden brown all over. Beat the remaining whole egg, then brush inside the pastry cases with it. Return the cases to the oven for a final 2 minutes, then set aside to cool. Turn the oven down to 95°C fan/gas ½.
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5. Strain the fennel-infused cream into a clean pan on a scale – stop when you have 500g. Put the pan over a low-medium heat and gently bring it to the boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until smooth and pale. When the cream comes to the boil, remove from the heat and pour a little of it into the eggs, using a rubber spatula to stir it all together and temper the eggs. Gradually pour the rest of the cream into the eggs, stirring constantly with the spatula. Don’t use a whisk as you don’t want to incorporate as any air into the mix.
6. Transfer the custard to a large jug. Put the tart cases on a large baking tray, then carefully and slowly pour the custard mixture into them, filling them to the top. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes – they’re ready when set but still with a wobble when you gently shake them (they will set further as they cool). If they’re still too liquid at this stage, continue to bake, checking at 5-minute intervals.
7. While the tarts bake, put the reserved toasted fennel seeds in a small blender or spice grinder and whizz to a fine powder. Once the tarts have set, put the fennel powder in a fine sieve and use it to liberally dust the top of each tart. You can either wait for the tarts to set at room temperature, or put them in the fridge to speed up the process – but let them come back to room temperature before serving.