Gluten-free egg custard tart made with a tender homemade gluten-free shortcrust pastry and a silky smooth egg filling. This recipe also includes instructions for making individual tarts.
Traditional egg custard tart is one of my favourite desserts, and this gluten-free version makes it possible for people with wheat intolerance to enjoy it too.
It’s perfect for parties, potlucks, afternoon tea or a simple weekday treat. You can make a full-size tart or small individual tarts — instructions for both are included.
When made correctly, a classic egg custard tart should have a silky, gently set custard sitting in a crisp pastry shell.
If you need a gluten-free pastry, use my easy gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe. The same pastry (without the sugar) works well for quiches and savoury tarts.
Store-bought pastry can be used, but homemade pastry is simple to make, more economical and far tastier.
Top tips
1. If you’re filling the tart with a wet custard, bake the pastry blind first to prevent a soggy base.
2. To make this tart gluten-free, substitute regular pastry with a gluten-free shortcrust pastry.
The photo below shows a tart baked in a disposable foil tray for taking to a party — it doesn’t last long!
Prep Time
About 20 minutes (10 minutes for pastry, 10 minutes for filling)
Cook Time
Approximately 20 minutes to part-bake the pastry and 35–40 minutes to finish the tart
Yield
6 servings
You will need
A flan or quiche dish 23 cm / 9 inch diameter (or a 12-muffin tin for individual tarts)
Ingredients
6 oz (170 g) gluten-free shortcrust pastry
6–8 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)
4 eggs
1 pint (550 ml) milk (about 2½ cups)
A light sprinkle of ground or freshly grated nutmeg
Adjust the sugar to suit your taste — I usually use 3–4 tablespoons, but some prefer a sweeter custard.
Instructions
Make the pastry
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas 5.
If using a shop-bought pastry case, skip to the filling steps below.
2. Make your gluten-free shortcrust pastry and roll it out to line your greased flan dish.
3. Gently press the pastry into the dish so it hugs the sides, trim excess pastry and use trimmings to patch any cracks.
4. Prick the base lightly with a fork to prevent large air bubbles while baking.
5. Bake blind for 20 minutes to partially cook the pastry so it can hold the wet filling without going soggy. For a 23 cm (9 in) dish bake 20–25 minutes; reduce time for smaller cases.
6. When the pastry is about 70% cooked and the base is dry to the touch, remove it from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.
Make the smooth egg custard filling
1. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until combined.
2. Heat the milk and sugar in a pan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves.
3. Gradually pour the hot milk into the whisked eggs while stirring continuously to temper the eggs and avoid scrambling.
4. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps. Allow it to cool for 10–15 minutes — you can set the bowl in cold water to speed this up.
5. Pour the strained custard carefully into the part-baked pastry shell, then lightly dust the surface with nutmeg.
6. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for about 30 minutes. Check the tart: it should be mostly set with a slight wobble in the very centre. If it wobbles excessively, return it to the oven for 5 more minutes.
7. When the custard is set, remove the tart and allow it to cool before removing from the flan dish. Chilling for an hour makes it easier to slice and enhances the texture; some prefer it slightly warm.
Enjoy your traditional gluten-free egg custard tart — simple, comforting and delicious.
What is baking blind?
Baking blind means partially or fully baking the empty pastry shell before adding a wet filling. This ensures the base cooks through and prevents a soggy bottom. It’s also used when placing a no-bake filling into the tart case.
To make individual tarts
For 12 small tarts, grease a 12-muffin tin and cut 12 discs of pastry using an 11 cm / 4½ in fluted cutter. The pastry should overlap the top by a few millimetres so you can crimp the edges if desired.
Fill each case with custard and bake for approximately 25 minutes. There’s no need to bake blind for these small tarts. Lower the oven to 180°C / 350°F for the last 10 minutes of baking if needed.
Allow the individual tarts to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before carefully removing them.
If you love pastry, try a simple flaky pastry or the gluten-free shortcrust. Enjoy baking, and please let me know how your tart turned out!
Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Egg Custard Tart
6
20 minutes
40 minutes
1 hour
Gluten-free egg custard tart with a tender homemade shortcrust pastry and a silky smooth egg filling.
Ingredients
- 6 oz / 170 g gluten-free shortcrust pastry
- 6–8 tablespoons sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 pint / 550 ml milk
- A sprinkle of ground or freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas 5. If using shop-bought pastry, skip to the filling steps.
- Make and roll out gluten-free shortcrust pastry, then line a greased 23 cm (9 in) flan dish.
- Trim excess pastry, prick the base with a fork and bake blind for 20–25 minutes until about 70% cooked. Reduce oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Whisk eggs in a bowl. Heat milk with sugar until boiling, then gradually add hot milk to eggs while whisking to temper.
- Strain the mixture, cool slightly, pour into the pastry case and dust with nutmeg.
- Bake for around 30 minutes at 180°C. If the centre is too wobbly, bake a further 5 minutes. Cool before removing from the dish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Calories: 282
Nutrition information is an estimate.