Pastel de Nata
Pastel de Nata is a delightful Portuguese custard tart with a flaky crust and creamy, caramelized custard filling, perfect as a dessert or sweet snack.
Ingredients
For the Pastry
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- Flour for dusting
For the Custard
- ¾ cup granulated sugar Can substitute with honey or maple syrup.
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk Almond or coconut milk can be used for dairy-free version.
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 peel from lemon
- 6 large egg yolks
- Ground cinnamon and powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a thin rectangle.
- Roll it up tightly from one short end to the other and slice into 12 equal pieces.
- Place each piece into a muffin tin cup, cut side down, and press the dough into the base and up the sides of the cups.
Making the Custard
- In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, and a small amount of the milk to form a smooth paste.
- Add the rest of the milk, the cinnamon stick, and lemon peel. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it just starts to simmer and thicken.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks.
- Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick from the milk mixture and slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg yolks.
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve to ensure a smooth filling.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 500°F or as high as your oven safely goes.
- Pour the custard into the prepared pastry cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the custard puffs and the tops begin to blister and brown.
- Let the tarts cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
Avoid overfilling the pastry cups to prevent spilling during baking. Ensure your oven is preheated to achieve crispy texture.
