Mandarin Custard Tart baked in an air fryer is a bright, citrusy treat that feels just right for lazy autumn days. It’s rich without being overwhelming, sweet but not cloying, and has just the right amount of zing to keep things refreshing. Unlike ordinary citrus, mandarins are naturally sweet, bursting with vibrant flavour and a hint of honeyed richness. Their juice infuse the silky custard, giving it a light, citrus-kissed creaminess that pairs beautifully with a crisp, buttery tart base. Recipe compliments of Instant Pot.

Serves: 6 | Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the base:

• 1 roll puff pastry
• Flour, to dust the surface

For the custard:

• 2 cups milk
• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 5 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean pod
• 4 large egg yolks, plus one extra egg for brushing
• 100g butter softened
• 2 Mandarins, juiced and zested

To serve:

• 2 Mandarins, peeled and sliced
• Strawberries, hulled and quartered
• Gooseberries
• Fresh mint
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. To make the custard, turn the pressure cooker on and set the temperature to high, at 30 minutes. Pour the milk into the pot and add the vanilla bean paste or extract. Bring to a gentle simmer.
2. In a bowl place the egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar and whisk together. Add the salt. Add the mandarin juice and zest and whisk together until smooth. Slowly pour 1 cup of the hot vanilla milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly until smooth.
3. Whisk the egg and milk mixture into the pot until the custard becomes thick and smooth. Remove from heat and push through a sieve to remove any lumps that may have formed and pour into a bowl. Whisk in the butter and cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap or greaseproof paper to prevent a skin from forming on the custard’s surface. Refrigerate.
4. Roll the puff pastry out and cut into a 15 x 20cm rectangle. Cut four 2cm thick strips out of the remaining puff pastry, brush the edges with the extra egg and place the pastry strips down.
5. Place this pastry rectangle onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and brush the entire pastry with egg.
6. Turn on the air fryer and set the temperature to 190C for 10 minutes. Bake the puff pastry until golden and puffy. Remove from air fryer and place onto a serving plate.
7. Take the custard out of the fridge and whisk to smooth it, and slather onto the puff pastry.
8. Top with the mandarin slices and the strawberries and gooseberries, decorate with mint and dust with icing sugar. Serve right away.