Portuguese Custard Tart Recipe

The traditional portuguese custard tart recipe, known as pastel de nata, has simple ingredients, which may vary slightly. The recipe that we share with you here is the most common and not the original, which can only be found in Belém.

Despite the simple ingredients, executing the portuguese custard tart recipe requires some patience. Still, as we all know, the end result will always make up for the time invested in the kitchen.

This recipe was intended for 20 pieces and should take approximately one hour. Do not waste time and surprise your family and friends with a homemade delicacy. They will love it.

Before starting the preparation, preheat the oven to 250°C (static oven). If using a fan-assisted oven, reduce the temperature to 230°C.

1. Begin by opening the puff pastry and, on a sheet of baking paper, roll it up tightly.
2. Next, cut the rolled pastry into 12 equal pieces, each about 1.5 to 2 cm wide, depending on whether you prefer a thicker or thinner pastry.
3. Grease the molds with butter and place a piece of pastry into each one. Gently press the dough with your thumbs, pushing the excess towards the top so that the pastry is thicker around the edges.
4. Place the molds on an aluminum baking tray and set aside.
5. In a saucepan, add 250 ml of milk and the lemon peel. Heat gently.
6. In a separate bowl, mix the flour thoroughly with the remaining 170 ml of milk.
7. <p”>When the milk mixture on the stove begins to boil, remove the lemon peel and add the milk-and-flour mixture. Stir continuously until it thickens and becomes smooth.
8. In another saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
9. Gradually add the sugar syrup to the cream mixture, stirring well. Allow it to rest and cool.
10. Once the cream has cooled, add the egg yolks, stirring again until the mixture is completely smooth.
11. With the custard ready, fill the prepared molds with the mixture. Do not fill them completely, as the custard will expand in the oven.
12. Finally, bake the custard tarts for 15 minutes. Let them brown, but remove them before they burst, so they do not shrink too much as they cool.

Suggestions:
If you have children at home, make sure the custard tarts are not excessively hot to avoid burns and to ensure a pleasant moment for everyone.

If you like, sprinkle with cinnamon or icing sugar only after the tarts have slightly cooled, and enjoy them with a good coffee.

Note: The recipes we share do not correspond to the recipes used for the frozen custard tarts we supply for distribution and retail.