Double Egg Yolk Vanilla Bean Tartlets Silky Custard

Instructions:

1. Make the Dough: Combine flour, salt, and cold butter in a food processor or by hand until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Bind: Add the caster sugar and the single egg yolk. Pulse/mix until just combined. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together into a cohesive ball. Do not overwork.
3. Chill: Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
4. Roll and Line: Roll the chilled dough to about 3mm thickness. Carefully line the six tartlet tins, pressing the dough firmly into the flutes. Trim the excess.
5. Blind Bake Prep: Prick the bases thoroughly with a fork. Chill the lined tins for 15 minutes. Line the chilled shells with parchment paper and fill with baking beans.
6. Bake Shells: Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, and return to the oven for another 5 minutes until the base is dry and lightly golden. Reduce oven temperature to 160°C (325°F).
7. Glaze (Optional): Brush the inside of the warm, blind-baked shells with a thin layer of apricot jam to seal them.
8. Heat the Dairy: In a saucepan, combine the whole milk and the vanilla bean (pods and scraped paste). Gently heat the milk just until steaming (do not boil). Remove from heat, cover, let infuse for 10 minutes, then remove and discard the vanilla pod.
9. Mix the Yolks: In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk the 12 egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornflour until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and homogenous (the blanchir stage).
10. Temper: Slowly ladle about one-third of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while constantly whisking. This crucial step prevents scrambling.
11. Thicken: Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the remaining milk in the saucepan. Place the pan over medium-low heat. Whisk continuously and vigorously until the custard thickens rapidly. Cook for 1-2 minutes after it starts bubbling.
12. Enrich: Remove the custard from the heat and whisk in the small cubes of cold butter until completely smooth and emulsified. Optional: Pass through a fine-mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth finish.
13. Fill and Bake: Divide the hot custard evenly among the six blind-baked tart shells. Carefully place the filled tartlets back into the preheated 160°C (325°F) oven. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the custard is set but still retains a very slight wobble in the centre.
14. Cool and Chill: Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully on a wire rack. Transfer the tartlets to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.