Steps
- Mix 250g of bread flour, 100g of soft unsalted butter, 25g of superfine sugar, 7g of instant yeast, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add 85ml of water.
- Knead for 10 minutes, until smooth. Cover and rise for 1 hour.
- Rub 50g of soft unsalted butter into 90g of all-purpose flour and 90g of light brown sugar to make crumbs. Refrigerate.
- Whisk 6 egg yolks, 80g of superfine sugar, and 25g of cornstarch. Warm 450ml of whole milk, 50ml of heavy cream, and the seeds of 1 vanilla bean in a saucepan.
- Whisk a little warm milk into the yolks, then return to the pan. Whisk over low heat until thickened; remove from the heat as soon as the whisk meets resistance.
- Spread the custard in a shallow dish, press plastic wrap onto its surface, and cool. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Grease and flour a pie pan, 10½in / 27cm across the top, 9in / 23cm at the base, and 1¼in / 3cm deep. Deflate the dough and roll thinly.
- Line the pan, trim, and prick the base. Fill with custard and cover with the crumbs. Bake on the middle shelf for 30-35 minutes, until golden, then cool completely.