Ingredients:

  • 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 large egg yolk (about 18 g)
  • 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) ice water
  • 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks (about 68 g)
  • 1 large whole egg (about 50 g)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp (2 g) finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Instructions:

  1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, and salt to combine.
  2. Add the cold butter and pulse about 10 times, until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized pieces.
  3. Add the egg yolk and 1 tbsp ice water, then pulse until the dough begins to clump. Add more water only 1 teaspoon at a time if it stays dry.
  4. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
  6. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick. Fit it into a 23 cm (9-inch) fluted tart pan, press it into the corners, and trim the edges.
  7. Prick the base with a fork, line with parchment, and fill with pie weights.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake 5 minutes more, until the base is dry and the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool the shell.
  9. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F).
  10. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, vanilla, lemon zest (if using), and a pinch of salt until steaming. Do not let it boil.
  11. In a bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, and whole egg until smooth and pale.
  12. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly.
  13. Pour everything back into the saucepan over medium heat and keep whisking. The custard will thicken and then bubble slowly across the surface.
  14. Once it reaches a full bubbling boil, whisk for one full minute. The custard is ready when the whisk leaves lines that hold for a second.
  15. Remove from the heat, whisk in the 1 tbsp butter, and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
  16. Pour the warm custard into the cooled shell.
  17. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles like loose pudding when the pan is gently nudged.
  18. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
  19. Remove the outer ring of the pan and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Slice with a thin, sharp knife dipped in hot water.