Pastel de Nata
Pastel de Nata is a legendary Portuguese egg tart featuring a flaky, buttery puff pastry shell filled with a silky, lightly caramelized custard cream. Originating from the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon, these tarts are best enjoyed warm with a dusting of cinnamon.
Flaky Portuguese custard tarts with a caramelized top and creamy egg filling.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Pastry
Custard
Instructions
Prepare the Pastry Shells
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Celsius or as high as your oven will go. Roll the puff pastry sheet tightly into a log and cut into 12 equal discs. Press each disc into a greased muffin tin using your thumbs to form a thin cup shape going all the way up the sides.
Make the Custard Base
In a small saucepan combine sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and 100 ml of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes until a light syrup forms. Remove cinnamon and lemon. In a separate bowl whisk flour with 100 ml of cold milk until smooth, then add remaining milk and stir to combine.
Cook the Custard
Pour the milk and flour mixture into a saucepan over medium heat. Cook stirring constantly for 5 minutes until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat and slowly stream in the hot sugar syrup while stirring vigorously. Add vanilla extract and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Add Egg Yolks and Fill
Whisk the egg yolks into the cooled custard mixture one at a time until fully incorporated and smooth. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve for extra silkiness. Fill each prepared pastry shell about three-quarters full with the custard mixture.
Bake Until Caramelized
Bake the tarts at 250 degrees Celsius for 15 to 18 minutes until the custard is set with dark, blistered caramel spots on top and the pastry is deeply golden. The caramelized spots are characteristic and essential to authentic Pastel de Nata. Allow to cool slightly before serving with ground cinnamon.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
I made this!
Cooked this recipe? Share your photo and inspire others.