Crustless custard pie

variation - it can also be made on a base of puff pastry in a dish or tart mould, but the bakery version is usually crustless.

Split a vanilla bean lengthwise with a knife, flatten it, and scrape the seeds out.

Butter the tin all over, then line it with parchment paper, making the bottom stick.

Put the sugar in a bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk them into the sugar immediately - left sitting on sugar the yolks burn.

Whisk vigorously about a minute until the mix turns whitish - blanchir.

Add all 50 grams of starch and incorporate it gently. The mix should be thick and whitish.

Put the pan on medium to medium-high, pour in all the milk and cream together, add the vanilla seeds and the split pods, and bring to the boil, stirring from time to time. Turn the heat off as soon as it boils.

Strain the hot milk through a sieve into the egg, sugar and starch mix, holding back the pieces of vanilla, and whisk gently to combine. Strain the lot back into the pan.

Put the heat back on medium and whisk continuously until the cream thickens, cooks and boils for at least four to five minutes. It should be thick but still liquid.

Pour it all into a clean cold container, scraping the pan out.

Lay film in contact with the surface so no skin forms, and leave it to cool to about room temperature or a little below.

Remove the film. The set cream will be rubbery; work it back with the whisk a minute or two until it is creamy again.

Pour it into the lined tin and flatten it level.

Bake at 338 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a golden crust forms on top.

Let it rest out of the oven, then refrigerate a few hours; it is best completely cold. It makes its own crust in the tin.