SHF - Cookin Up Custard - Custard Tartlets

Well, as my blog may reveal, I'm somewhat new to this whole food blogging experience, and so far I LOVE it!! It's been totally amazing, I've found countless other food blogs that I just love, not to mention all the tons of new recipes I'm just dying to try. Needless to say when I heard about Sugar High Fridays I was itchin to be a part of it. Well it's September & here we are it's - Sugar High Friday again!!! Well for some I suppose not anymore..technically for some it's hmm..Sugar Hangover Saturday?? Probably..that will probably be me in the AM..but then again with my sweet tooth I think that's me EVERY AM..lol But I digress. For those of you who don't know about SHF yet, it's this wonderful event that from what I've read was the brainchild of Domestic Goddess. SHF is open to anyone who blogs about food & would like to take part. Each month focuses on a different ingredient that must be incorporated into the recipe. This month's SHF is entitled "Cookin Up Custard" and is being hosted by Elise over at Simply Recipes. Go check her out to see who else has participated this month. Now..on to MY creation for SHF!! Drum roll please..lol I made Custard Tartlets. To some this may seem boring, to others plain & unassuming. To me it's pure southern charm. Although I have to be honest, no matter how much diggin & huntin I did I would NEVER find a "tartlet" recipe anywhere in my grandmother's recipe collection - no where I tell you, but that's ok, I've put my own twist on that old southern charm. But as much as I love the taste of nutmeg & the smooth milkiness of that cold custard right out of the fridge, or the way the buttery crust just melts in my mouth, I can't tell you the last time I made a custard. It's probably been about 15 years, which means that I was pretty darn young when I was making custards..and I remember NOTHING about the actual process. I just remember the wonderful taste of the end result. So I set off in search of a recipe, a way to recreate this wonderful end result. And yes I said in search of a recipe. I no longer have the recipe I was using 15 years ago..so recreating that wonderful custard of my childhood was like huntin for a needle in a haystack..lol But I did it, almost. It will take a bit of tweaking, but I have confidence I can do it. I used a recipe from Donna Hay's Modern Classics 2. I'm almost ashamed to admit I had never made my own pastry crust before..but with the help of the wonderful Aussie Ms. Hay, I have conquered my fear of the from scratch pastry crust. Just the thought..it always seemed so time consuming and well, intimidating, but her recipe was SO easy & it was delicious. I truly believe I will use it again & again. What I will have to tweak a bit is the actual custard itself. It's good, much better cold, which is how I always prefer it, than when it's warm from the oven. The flavors seem so much more vivid to me when it's cold, maybe I'm just crazy? lol Anyway..the custard is good..but I think it needed a bit more heavy cream than milk - it called for 1 cup of each. I think next time I'll try more like 1.5 cup cream & 1/2 cup milk. Next time I will add more sugar, nutmeg & possibly a bit more vanilla. So basically more of everything except the eggs. lol If anyone wants the recipe just let me know. Can't wait for next SHF!!