Begin by making the pastry. Place the flour and butter in a bowl of a food mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and gently mix until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the icing sugar and vanilla bean paste and mix through.

Add the egg yolk and the milk and mix until it starts to form a dough.Take the dough out of the machine and shape it into a block about 1cm thick, this will make it easier to roll out. Rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Take a 6 x 8cm pastry rings and place them on a clean baking tray.

Cut the pastry in two and place half back in the fridge so it doesn’t get too warm, you’ll line 3 tins at a time. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of greaseproof paper so that you don't add any extra flour. When the pastry is rolled out big enough to cover the rings cut the pastry into three and lay the pastry over a ring, press it into the sides and base of the ring, making sure it’s touching otherwise it will shrink away from the sides of the ring. Leave an overhang of pastry on the edge of the ring, this will help with shrinkage and place them on the tray.

Repeat with the other 5 rings and place the pastry cases in the fridge for 30mins to chill a little. Pre-heat the oven to 180C Fan/200C and line the pastry cases with baking parchment and baking beans. Blind bake the pastry for 15 minutes. Then remove the baking beans and baking parchment and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Check the pastry over to see if it needs any of the cracks patching, if so use some raw pastry and fill the holes. Take the egg wash and brush it all over the pastry and bake for another 15 minutes.

When the pastry is golden, remove it from the oven and leave it cool, then take a vegetable peeler and shave off the excess pastry to remove it.