Custard Tart — Simple, Warm, Enough

New Year's Eve. 2022 into 2023. I worked the ER shift — the tradition, the midnight in scrubs. But this year, knowing it might be one of my last New Year's Eve shifts, the shift felt different. Not nostalgic — anticipated. The anticipation of an ending that is also a beginning. The MSN program starts in January. The book is being written. The ER is still the ER — still the place where the sickest people arrive, still the place where my hands know exactly what to do — but the ER is no longer the only place. The only place is becoming one of the places. The one-of is the change.

Pete and I paused at midnight. The tradition. The shared breath. This year I said, "Pete." He said, "Santos." I said, "I'm starting grad school in January." He said, "I know." I said, "How do you know?" He said, "I know everything. Also, you left the UAA brochure in the break room." The detective work of Pete: unimpressive methodology, perfect results.

I got home at 6 AM. Lugaw. The tradition. The first food of 2023. The rice porridge. Simple. Warm. Enough. I ate it at the table and wrote in the journal: "2023. The MSN starts. The book continues. Mia turns one this month. Joseph marries Suki this year. The ER continues, for now. The for-now is the transition. Start with garlic. The rest follows. It always follows."

Lugaw was what I actually ate that morning — but when I went back to write this post, I wanted to share something I could hand to you through the page, something that carries the same feeling: simple, warm, enough. A custard tart does that. It asks almost nothing of you — a crust, a few eggs, milk, a little sugar — and it gives back something that feels like it took all day. I’ve made it on the quiet mornings that follow the big nights, when the transition is still settling and you just need your hands to do something slow and steady. Start with the pastry. The rest follows.

Custard Tart

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2–3 tablespoons ice water
• 3 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for topping

Instructions

1. Make the pastry. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork, until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork it.
2. Chill the dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
4. Roll and line the pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully transfer it to the tart pan, pressing it gently into the edges. Trim any overhanging dough flush with the rim. Prick the base all over with a fork.
5. Blind bake the shell. Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes until the base is just dry and barely golden. Remove and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (165°C).
6. Make the custard filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, and sugar until smooth and pale. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the milk and cream together until just steaming — do not boil. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in the vanilla extract and nutmeg.
7. Fill and bake. Pour the custard filling through a fine-mesh strainer into the prepared tart shell. Grate a little extra nutmeg over the top. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake at 325°F for 25–30 minutes, until the custard is just set at the edges but still has a gentle wobble in the center.
8. Cool before serving. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before unmolding. Serve warm or at room temperature. The custard will continue to firm up as it cools.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 290 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 135mg