Leek and Bacon Tart with Cream Custard
A golden puff pastry tart layered with softened leeks, crisp lardons and a rich cream and egg custard. Baked until the edges caramelize and the filling is just set, it is a savory centerpiece that slices neatly for six.
- Total
- 77 min
- Prep 20 · Cook 47 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Medium
You'll practice: Roasting · Tempering eggs
- Sweet & savory
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 200°C. Roll the pâte brisée out and press it into a 23 cm tart tin, letting the pastry come up the sides. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill it while the oven heats.
~10 min
Chilling the pastry firms the butter, preventing shrinkage and keeping the crust crisp during blind baking.
-
Trim the poireaux, halve them lengthways and slice into 1 cm half-moons. Rinse well and pat dry. Toss with the olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and the black pepper, then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
~8 min
-
Roast the poireaux for 15 minutes until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Scatter the lardons over the tray and roast for 10 more minutes until the lardons are crisp and the leeks are caramelized.
~15 min
Roasting at high heat drives off moisture and triggers Maillard browning, deepening the leeks' sweetness and crisping the lardons.
Pat the leeks thoroughly dry before roasting: excess water steams them instead of letting the edges caramelize.
Roasting Spread vegetables in a single layer with space between pieces; overcrowding traps steam and prevents caramelization. Roast until edges are deeply golden, not just softened.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the leeks and lardons roast, whisk the eggs with the 250 ml crème and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt in a mixing bowl until smooth.
~3 min
Tempering eggs Whisk eggs and cold cream thoroughly but gently to avoid incorporating air; a smooth, homogeneous mixture ensures a silky custard without bubbles or curdling.
-
Scatter the roasted poireaux and lardons evenly over the chilled pastry base. Pour the 250 ml cream custard over the top, spreading it level with a spoon.
~4 min
-
Bake the tart on the middle shelf for 30 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the custard is set with only a slight wobble in the center.
~30 min
The custard is set when its proteins coagulate; a slight wobble means it will finish cooking from residual heat without curdling.
If the pastry edges brown faster than the center, cover just the rim with a strip of parchment for the last 10 minutes of baking.
-
Leave the tart to rest in the tin for 10 minutes so the custard firms up, then slice and serve warm.
~10 min
Resting allows the custard to finish setting and the proteins to relax, so the tart slices cleanly without weeping.