Portuguese Custard Tarts, also known as Pastéis de Nata, are delicious and iconic Portuguese pastries with a creamy custard filling and flaky puff pastry crust. Here’s a recipe to make these delightful treats:
Ingredients:
For the custard filling:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
For the puff pastry:
- 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
- Flour, for dusting
For the caramelized topping:
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
- Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) and lightly grease a muffin tin.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and egg yolks until well combined.
- Gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture while continuously whisking to avoid curdling.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Set aside to cool.
- Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the puff pastry to a thin sheet.
- Cut the pastry into squares that are large enough to fit into the muffin tin cups.
- Press the pastry squares into the greased muffin tin cups, making sure to create a well in the center for the custard.
- Fill each pastry cup with the cooled custard filling, leaving a small space at the top.
- Sprinkle each tart with a small amount of granulated sugar and a pinch of ground cinnamon.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the custard has set.
- Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve the Portuguese Custard Tarts at room temperature or slightly warm.