Pasteis de Nata, The Traditional Recipe

Step 1

Roll out the dough or unroll it on baking paper to obtain a 36 x 30 cm rectangle. Lengthwise, roll the dough on itself into a tight sausage. Just before reaching the end, coat the remaining edge with water with a brush, then finish the roll of dough.

Step 2

With a good knife, remove the uneven ends then cut logs 3cm wide. Place each log cut side up in 8cm diameter pasteis de nata molds (see my equipment above) or, failing that, in muffin molds.

Step 3

To spread the dough in each mold, crush the heart of the log with both thumbs then spread outwards little by little by rotating the mold. It is important not to puncture the dough. Place the filled mussels on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Wash the organic lemon and remove its rind (without the white part below) in a wide ribbon.

Step 5

In a saucepan, bring the powdered sugar, water, cinnamon stick and lemon peel to the boil, until it reaches 106°, this takes several minutes.

Step 6

In another saucepan, pour the flour and 100g of cold milk. Whisk vigorously to avoid any lumps. Pour in the rest of the milk then heat over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Then pour into a salad bowl.

Step 7

Pass the sugar syrup through a sieve to remove the bark and the cinnamon stick then pour this syrup in several times into the flour mixture, whisking well between each addition. Leave to cool to around 37°.

Step 8

Preheat the oven to 250 ° traditional heat.

Step 9

Incorporate the egg yolks and vanilla, whisking the mixture little by little so that it is homogeneous and without lumps. Pour the batter into a container with a spout (easier to fill the moulds).

Step 10

Fill each mold with the preparation, making sure to leave a small empty space at the top. When the oven is hot, bake for 15 to 16 minutes. The pasteis de nata should visibly swell and take on their characteristic hue.

Step 11

Take out of the oven, 3 options: taste them plain warm or cold, or sprinkled with a little cinnamon like in Lisbon, or coated with a sugar syrup (to do this: bring sugar and water to the boil), know that this 3rd option is the sweetest.