pastel de nata

Pastel de Nata are a delicious variety of custard tarts that are a favourite in Portugal. Read our recipe here so you can learn how to make them at home!

Pastel de Nata: Homemade Portuguese Custard Tart Recipe

all purpose flour

salt

water

soft unsalted butter

milk

caster sugar

cinnamon

tsp vanilla extract

lemon lemon

Using your fingers, quickly mix the flour, water and salt in a bowl, until it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl. You can also use a mixer with a dough hook attached to it. This initial dough should be very similar to a sticky wet bread dough so use a spatula to get it out of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, sprinkle some more flour on top of the dough and wrap it in cling film. Set it aside for 15 minutes in order to let any gluten that may have been activated to rest.

Once fifteen minutes has passed, it’s time to start the laminating process. So, add more flour to your surface and make sure you have plenty of space to work with your dough. We are going to start rolling our sticky dough, make sure to cover your rolling pin in flour for this. Once we’ve reached an approximate 25cm square, it’s time to create our first layer of butter.

Using a light brush, brush off the excessive flour from the dough. With a small spatula spread evenly 1/3 of the butter on to 2/3 of the dough. Leave a 2cm border in order to stop the butter from coming out during the laminating process.

Carefully fold the unbuttered third of dough over the middle third. Use a dough scrapper to loosen it if it sticks, again brush off any excessive flour from the dough. Fold the remaining third on top of the rest of the dough.

Rotate the dough 90 degrees to the left so the last fold is facing you. Repeat the rolling process to an approximate 25cm square. Once again, spread another 1/3 of the butter on top of 2/3 of the dough even. Repeat the folding process as above.

For the final layer, turn the dough 90 degrees to the left and this time roll out the dough to a 30x35cm rectangle. With the shorter side facing you, spread the remaining butter over the entire surface of the dough this time.

Using our dough scrapper, lift the edge of the dough and while scraping and brushing the excessive flour, roll the dough very tightly. The result should be a tightly rolled pastry log. Trim the ends and wrap it in cling film and chill it for at least 3 hours or ideally, overnight.

In another bowl whisk together the flour and 50ml of milk until smooth.

In a small pan, combine the caster sugar, the cinnamon and the water. Bring it to a boil and cook it until it reaches 100C degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, dip a spoon into your syrup and lift it, a large drop is supposed to form and as if falls it should leave a short thin string behind. Do not stir your solution, as we don´t want any crystallization.

Meanwhile, in another pan, bring the remaining milk to a boil. Once boiled, remove it from the heat, add the vanilla and lemon zests and cover it with a lid to infuse for a minute or two. Pour it into the flour and milk mixture.

In a thin stream, pour the sugar syrup into our infused milk mixture. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir it until it cools slightly.

Add in the egg yolks and whisk, strain the mixture into a jug, cover it and set it aside.

Pre heat your oven to 290 degrees if you can, if not, set to the hottest temperature that your oven reaches.

Remove your pastry log from the fridge and with a sharp knife divide it into 12 even slices. Place each slice cut side down in each well of a non-stick 12-cup muffin tin. Let the dough pieces rest for 10 minutes to soften. Here is where you’ll be able to see those buttery layers that we made previously.

Place a small cup of water on the side to dip your thumbs in. With wet thumbs, start shaping the dough spirals. Press it against the bottom of the tin and then smooth the dough up to the sides, creating a raised lip above the pan. Be careful as the bottom should not be too thin.

Fill each cup ¾ full with the custard. Bake the pastéis until the edges are golden brown, around 15-17 minutes. If your oven has a grill mode, turn it on for the final minutes to achieve the distinctive burnt effect of your typical pasteis de nata.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Our favourite way of eating them is while they’re still warm and with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

This Portuguese Custard Tarts recipe gives you many, perfect little sweet &amp; creamy tarts that are enjoyed around the world.

Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe

sugar

(4floz/115 milliliters) water

cinammon stick

(8floz/225 milliliters) whole milk

½ cup (4floz/115 milliliters) double cream

vanilla extract

¼ cup (1 ounces 28 grams) cornstarch

pack puff pastry

Preheat oven to 500°F (250°C).

In a small pan, add the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set it aside to infuse.

In a separate saucepan, combine milk and cream and place over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.

To a large bowl, add the egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla extract, and cornflour. Whisk until fully combined and no lumps remain.

Temper the egg mixture by introducing the hot milk to it whisking as you go.

Return this egg mixture to the saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Whisk continually until mixture thickens, around 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Whisk in the cooled cinnamon sugar syrup. Discard the cinnamon stick and set the custard aside.

Making the Custard:

Lightly flour a work surface and cut puff pastry into roughly 14 equal rounds using a 3 ½ inch cookie cutter.

To a lightly greased muffin tin, push each piece of puff pastry down and up into the sides of the muffin holes until evenly distributed.

Pour custard into each muffin tin so each one is three-quarters full. Bake for roughly 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. (See notes above about browning the tops👆)

Serve warm as is or with a dollop of cream on top. Enjoy!

Assembling the Tarts:

The famous Pastel de Nata Portuguese Egg Tarts are a rich eggy custard-like tart encased in a crispy and flaky crust found across Portugal, but most prevalently in its birthplace of Lisbon.

Pastel de Nata Portuguese Egg Tarts

puff pastry

heavy cream

flour

lemon peel (or zest of ½ lemon)

vanilla pod

Flour

Butter

cinnamon powder sugar

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

These look amazing!  Definitely saving this recipe to try x

I went to Belem and ate that famous Pastel de Belem at that cafe. Waited in line for 1/2 hour and finally got to a large room where at least 100 people were sitting and eating the pastry and other kinds too. 
Worth to try ! Tasty creamy and smelling good ! I did try to eat the pastel de nata in downtown Lisbon at various bakeries. Not as good as the one in Belem. 
When you travel to chinatown in America, France or in China or Vietnam you will find that famous egg tart brought to China and Vietnam by the Portuguese missionaries in 1600’s .

Try this Pastel de Nata or Portuguese Egg Tarts recipe. Taste just like the ones from Macao, light and smooth egg custard with crisp flaky puff pastry.

Pastel de Nata or Portuguese Egg Tarts

heavy cream ((at least 30% fat))

cornstarch

200 ml fresh full-fat milk

butter (- for greasing the forms)

Form the dough into pastry shells as I mentioned in my post above. Freeze them for some minutes while preparing the custard.

In a bowl, whisk together the cream, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and milk until well combined and all lumps age gone.

Using a double boiler, cook the egg mixture over medium-low heat while stirring continuously until it reaches the correct thickness, like that of a crepe batter. Remove from heat and place pot in a cold water bath to stop it from cooking further.

Add the vanilla extract and stir until well mixed. Let it cool down to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 250°C.

Take the puff pastry shells from the fridge and fill them with the egg mixture leaving about 5-7mm of the top uncovered.

Baked them at 250°C for 5 minutes or until the pastry starts to puff. Lower the temperature to 200°C and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the top of the custard gets the burnt spots and the bubbling starts to subside. Rotate your tray several times throughout baking time to get the crust brown evenly.

Remove from oven and place on the cooling rack. Portuguese Egg tarts are best eaten while still warm.

Crispy-crunchy pastry crust with a smooth and creamy custard filling is what awaits your bite into these traditional, world famous sweet custard tarts from Lisbon, Portugal!

Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tarts)

For the Custard:

cinnamon stick

lemon

all-purpose flour

Make the Custard:Place the water, sugar, cinnamon and lemon rind in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer - without stirring - until it reachers 220 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.Remove from the heat and let it cool for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.In a separate medium saucepan scald the milk (heat until up to the boiling point but don&#039;t let it boil).  Turn off the heat and add the flour and salt to the hot milk and whisk constantly until the mixture is nice and thick.  Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined.  Whisk in the vanilla extract.Remove the cinnamon and lemon rind from the syrup.  In a thin, steady stream pour the syrup into the egg/flour mixture, whisking constantly.  The custard will be very thin, this is normal.Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to strain out any chunky bits.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until ready to use.  You can make this in advance and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Prepare the Pastry Dough:On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry dough out to roughly a 11x14 inch rectangle.  Beginning at the short end, roll up the pastry dough, rolling it tightly as you go along.  Wrap the pastry roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  

Assemble the Tarts:Preheat the oven to the highest temperature it will go (I heated mine to 525 degrees F).   Use a pastry cutter or sharp knife to cut the pastry log into about 3/4 inch thick rounds.  (Cut a thin layer off each end and discard.)Use a standard size nonstick muffin pan.  Depending on how full you fill the tarts this recipe makes about 16 tarts so you may need a second muffin pan.Place a pastry round in each tin.  Use your thumbs to press the pastry down and up the sides to the very top to fit the mold.  Pour the prepared custard into each pastry case to about 3/4 of the way full.  Don&#39;t fill them too full or the custard will overflow onto the rims of the tart crusts.  Place the pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven.Depending on the max temperature of your oven, bake for about 14-16 minutes (my oven was set to 525 degrees F).  You&#39;ll know the tarts are done when the tops are nicely scorched and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and let the tarts cool for about 8-10 minutes before removing them. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a small pinch of cinnamon if desired.  These pastries are best eaten warm the same day they are baked.

Pastel de nata (or Portuguese egg tart) is a 19th century small tart with a crispy puff pastry crust and a custardy pastry cream filling, presenting caramelized spots on top. This is the shortcut or easy dessert recipe that cuts the prep time quite a bit yet it tastes like the traditional treat.

Pastel de Nata (Portuguese Egg Tart)

eggs

white granulated sugar

tsp pure vanilla extract

whole milk (about 75 ml)

heavy whipping cream (150 ml)

puff pastry (14 oz each (Please see NOTE))

To make these Portuguese tarts, prepare the custard. Whisk the whole eggs and egg yolks together in a medium bowl until homogeneous. Then, add sugar, milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, whisking the mixture until homogeneous.

Cover the bowl with a cling film or plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least one hour or until the sugar has dissolved.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 480 degrees F (250 degrees C) and roll out the thawed puff pastry over a floured surface. Sprinkle just a little bit of flour over and spread. This will prevent the dough to stick on the surface and in your hands.

Then, roll up the short side of the dough tightly into a log. Cut off the edges and slice the dough into 12 even pieces. It is key the dough is still chilled when you are molding it into the tart pans. If needed, wrap some pieces and chill until needed.

Press each piece of dough into a greased small tart mold (3-inch or 7.5 cm diameter) until forming a crust that is thin and about ½-inch (1 cm) higher than the rim of the pan. When baking, the crust will shrink!    If needed, wet your hands with water in order to mold the dough. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork to prevent puff up too much and spill the filling. Alternatively, you can use a standard-size muffin tin instead of individual tart pans. But be aware the dough will shrink more and will be thinner on the edges.

Cover the tart pans with foil and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Then, gently pour in the custard filling (70% full) and bake at the middle rack for 15-25 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and golden brown and the custard is set and have burnt (caramelized) spots on top.

Let Portuguese egg tarts cool for 5 minutes, gently remove them from their tart tin, and place on a rack to cool more. You can serve them warm or at room temp with a cup of coffee. If you prefer, sift powdered sugar and ground cinnamon on top.

Love your recipe. Try it and it taste sooo good. And it sooo easy too. Thank you for the recipe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdvaR_8chLs

Pastel de Nata -- Portuguese Egg Tart (Shortcut or Easy Recipe)
https://www.easyanddelish.com/portuguese-custard-tarts/
Pastel de Nata (also known as Portuguese Egg Tart or Portuguese custard tarts) is a delicious custard tart with a crispy puff pastry crust and a custardy pastry cream filling. This shortcut or easy dessert recipe cuts down on the prep time quite a bit, yet tastes like the traditional treat. 

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Also try:
Classic Lemon Chess Pie: https://youtu.be/E7xcWRBc50g
Best Chocolate Chess Pie Recipe: https://youtu.be/vE5e5fZSKE8
Brazilian Carrot Cake: https://youtu.be/3fO88QrJtZI
Chocolate Flan (Brigadeirao): https://youtu.be/2P2Q3q4-5u4
Brazilian Spice Cake (Pão de mel): https://youtu.be/65z3rq-PNfY
Brigadeiros: https://youtu.be/r9P4F8rzkts


Egg Tart Recipe:

Ingredients:
2 large whole eggs
3 egg yolks
½ cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk (about 75 ml)
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (150 ml)
2 14-oz packages puff pastry (14 oz each)

Instructions:
1. To make these Portuguese tarts, prepare the custard. Whisk the whole eggs and egg yolks together in a medium bowl until homogeneous. Then, add sugar, milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, whisking the mixture until homogeneous.
2. Cover the bowl with a cling film or plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least one hour or until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 480 degrees F (250 degrees C) and roll out the thawed puff pastry over a floured surface. Sprinkle just a little bit of flour over and spread. This will prevent the dough to stick on the surface and in your hands.
4. Then, roll up the short side of the dough tightly into a log. Cut off the edges and slice the dough into 12 even pieces. It is key the dough is still chilled when you are molding it into the tart pans. If needed, wrap some pieces and chill until needed.
5. Press each piece of dough into a greased small tart mold (3-inch or 7.5 cm diameter) until forming a crust that is thin and about ½-inch (1 cm) higher than the rim of the pan. When baking, the crust will shrink!    If needed, wet your hands with water in order to mold the dough. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork to prevent puff up too much and spill the filling. Alternatively, you can use a standard-size muffin tin instead of individual tart pans. But be aware the dough will shrink more and will be thinner on the edges.
6. Cover the tart pans with foil and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Then, gently pour in the custard filling (70% full) and bake at the middle rack for 15-25 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and golden brown and the custard is set and have burnt (caramelized) spots on top.
pastry cream poured into tart crusts
7. Let Portuguese egg tarts cool for 5 minutes, gently remove them from their tart tin, and place on a rack to cool more. You can serve them warm or at room temp with a cup of coffee. If you prefer, sift powdered sugar and ground cinnamon on top.


Stock media provided by [TarisStudios]/ Pond5

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