INGREDIENTS

for the dough

4½ cups plain flour
1 cup golden caster sugar
150g (a little bit more than half of the bar or a little bit more than one stick) of unsalted butter
2 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
some more flour for working surface
icing sugar in a shaker

for the custard filling

2½ cups milk
3 tbs golden caster sugar
4 tbs vanilla custard powder, or twice more than on the packet instructions (custard should be thicker than normal)

EQUIPMENT

3-4 large baking trays lined with baking paper
rolling pin
9½ cm / 3½ inches wide round cutter or glass to cut out dough circles

METHOD

To prepare custard place 2 cups of milk and sugar in a saucepan and heat over low fire until almost boiling, in ½ cup of milk disolve custard powder and add to hot milk stirring constantly, bring to boil, when it is starting to get thick remove from fire and leave aside to cool down.

To prepare dough combine flour, sugar and baking powder, add also eggs and butter and mix and knead the dough until well combined and smooth. Take portion of the dough and roll out on floured surface until about 3-4mm thick. Using cookie cutter or glass cut out circles from the dough. In the middle of each place portion of the custard (heaped 1 tsp), fold and seal the edges. Place on baking tray lined with baking paper.

Make sure not to place pies too close to each other as they will increase the size while baking.

Bake in the oven preheated to 180°C (356°F) for about 20 minutes or until golden.

Remove from the oven, dust with icing sugar and leave to cool down completely.

Make 40-45 small pies.

• Store in air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.