Puff Pastry Rounds with Custard Cream

Make the custard cream. Zest the lemon by grating it on a fine grater (use only the yellow part, avoiding the white pith).

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the egg yolks, sugar, flour, lemon zest, and vanilla powder.

Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Add a small amount of cold milk and stir until smooth.

Pour in the remaining milk, stir to combine, and place over medium heat.

Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and let it boil for no more than one minute. The cream will be quite thick.

Cover the dried apricots with boiling water and let them soak for 5 minutes until plump.

Unfold the pastry onto the plastic wrap it came in. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of sugar.

Roll the pastry into a log.

Cut crosswise into rounds about 1.5–2 cm wide (I got 15 rounds).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it with butter. Arrange the pastry rounds on the sheet and gently flatten each one with your palm to form a flat disc.

Spoon 2–3 tbsp of custard cream onto each pastry round, leaving a small border around the edge.

Top each one with half or a whole dried apricot. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (400°F) for about 25 minutes.

Let the finished pastries cool completely.

These puff pastry rounds with custard cream are perfect alongside tea or coffee.