Tort de moy

Makes a 25 cm (10 inch) tart

85 g (3 oz) beef marrow

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) thick (double) cream

25 g (1 oz) raw sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1 mace blade

a pinch of ground nutmeg

6 egg yolks

1 quantity shortcrust pastry

25 g (1 oz) candied orange peel

25 g (1 oz) candied lemon peel

85 g (3 oz) sponge cake

1 tablespoon rosewater (or, if you dislike the flavour, orange flower water)

For the bone marrow: ask your butcher to cut pieces of bone in short chunks so you can easily get out the marrow using the back of a spoon or a marrow spoon if you have one. The bones should be at room temperature to extract the marrow with ease. Have a bowl of cold water ready when you do this and toss the bits of marrow in it. Leave the marrow in the water for 2 hours. Any impurities such as bone splinters will sink to the bottom and the blood washes away.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F).

Make the custard by bringing the cream to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan with the sugar, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl, pour in a small amount of the warm cream and whisk thoroughly. This prepares the yolks for the hot liquid and will prevent it from curdling. Now gradually add the rest of the cream, whisking until it is all incorporated. Allow to cool, then strain out the spices.

Meanwhile prepare the shortcrust pastry as instructed and blind bake it in the tart tin. Let it cool.

Chop up the candied peel and arrange it over the base of the pastry case, cover this with 1 cm (³/₈ inch) diced pieces of sponge and then sprinkle it with the rosewater. Place little pieces of marrow in between the pieces of sponge cake and then gently ladle the cold custard over it.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes or until the custard has set. Let the tart cool before serving.

This tart is also delicious if you add 50 g (1¾ oz) of almonds, crushed with a little rosewater to prevent them from producing oil. Add this to the cream with the spices and sugar, then strain out with the spices.