Ingredients

• 60g/2oz butter
• cut into small pieces
• 60g/2oz lard
• cut into small pieces
• 200g/7oz self-raising flour
• pinch salt
• 2-3 tbsp ice-cold water
• 8-10 thin rashers good quality smoked streaky bacon
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 3 free-range eggs
• 400ml/14fl oz whipping cream
• salt and freshly ground white pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

• For the pastry
• place the butter
• lard
• flour and salt into a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• Place the pastry into a mixing bowl and
• using a round-bladed knife
• stir in enough water to bind the mixture together. Lightly knead the dough until well amalgamated
• dust with flour and slip into a plastic bag. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and warm a baking sheet.
• Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible. Line a 20cm/8in wide by 4cm/1½in deep tart tin and lightly prick the base of the pastry with a fork all over. Place onto a baking tray
• line with greased aluminium foil and baking beans and bake blind for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove the baking beans and foil. Place the tart case back into the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes
• or until it is pale golden
• crisp and cooked through.
• Fry the bacon in a dry
• non-stick frying pan for 1-2 minutes
• or until crisp. Drain onto kitchen paper and spread out evenly over the base of the cooked tart case.
• Whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together in a bowl. Stir in the cream and season with salt
• pepper and nutmeg. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and cook for 30-40 minutes
• or until nicely puffed and the surface of the custard is pale golden and just set.
• Eat warm
• or at room temperature.