Pastel de Nata Portuguese Egg Tarts

Step 1

Preheat oven to 260 degrees C or 525 degrees F. Generously grease tart pan or muffin tin with butter.

Step 2

In a medium sized pot, bring the cream, cinnamon stick, vanilla and the lemon peel to a boil (about 5 minutes). Set aside.

Step 3

In a large heatproof bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Slowly add the cream mixture through a strainer, stirring very well afterwards until no lumps remain.

Step 4

Return the mixture to medium pot and bring to a boil again, stirring continually to avoid burning. Boil until cream begins to thicken, strain and set aside to let cool.

Step 5

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and then add them to the cream mixture once cooled enough to avoid scrambling the eggs. Mix well using a wire wisk.

Step 6

Extend the puff pastry on a floured surface. Fold it and re-roll the roll until approximately 2.5mm. With a round cookie cutter or drinking glass cut circles in dough with the same diameter as the openings of the pan. Line them with a slice of dough, stretching it up the edge approximately the height equivalent of 2 fingers.

Step 7

Fill each form with the cream to just under the lip of the dough and bake them for about 10 minutes or until the dough edges and tops of tarts are nicely browned. Serve pastries hot or cold topped with cinnamon powder and icing sugar if desired.