portuguese custard tart

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.

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:

sugar

cinnamon stick

lemon

all-purpose flour

vanilla extract

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.

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