Portuguese Custard Tarts – Pastel de Nata Delicioso!

Greetings taste2tasters! It’s been a while since our our last post and hope you have been enjoying the Summer, which finally arrived in London. I was reminded by Simon & YO Facebook foodie friends about one of my favourite pastries – the pastel de nata. I was lucky enough to visit the famous pastry shop or Pasteis de Belem in Lisbon a few years back. They have been making them since 1837 to a secret recipe. The place is iconic from the blue & white tiled walls to the waft of sweet aromas & queue of people waiting in anticipation. I was inspired to make my own which I dedicate to the Portuguese Football team that won the European Championship.

Ingredients (makes about 24 )

Filling Ingredients

300 ml (1 1/4cups) whole milk (3.6% fat)
260g ( 1 1/3 cups) caster sugar ( I used golden caster for flavour)
160 ml (2/3 cup) water
1 cinnamon stick
7 cm (3 inch) strip of fresh lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 tablespoons of plain (all purpose) flour, plus some extra to dust
400g (14oz) ready made all butter puff pastry
powdered cinnamon & freshly grated nutmeg, to decorate

Method

Pastry rolled into a large, thin rectangle

On a a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to a large rectangle roughly 20 x 35 cm (8 x 13.8 inches) and 3 mm (0.1 inch) thick
Beginning from the long side carefully roll the thin pastry up into a log, wrap in cling film (saran wrap) and chill in the fridge for a few minutes whilst you make the filling
Pastry log wrapped & ready to chill

Roll it roll it roll it!

Heat the sugar and water in a heavy based pan on medium, swirl gently but don’t stir
Cook until the sugar is dissolved, bubbling and reaches 100 C (212 F) which will take about 5 minutes
Sugar syrup boiling

Milk, cinnamon stick & lemon peel warming
Put 250 ml (8.8 fl oz) milk, cinnamon stick, lemon peel in a small pan and heat on medium until just below boiling point

Milk & flour whisked

Mix 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) milk in a heat proof bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour until incorporated and then add the hot milk and whisk briskly until thick
Pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into the milk mixture whilst whisking briskly until mixed and the consistency of single cream
Add the vanilla extract, stir and cool slightly until warm, removing cinnamon stick & lemon peel

Custard filling cooling

Whisk in the egg yolks until combined and cover with cling film to stop a skin forming
Heat the oven to 230 C (446 F) fan oven

Pastry log cut into pieces ready to form cases

Remove the pastry log from the fridge and on a floured surface roll until about 3 cm (1 1/4 inch) in diameter
Cut with a sharp knife into 15 mm ( 1 inch) thick pieces

From right to left: how to shape pastry to form cases

Shape the dough to fill a muffin tray ( see picture) with the bottom thicker than the sides
Fill each pastry case 3/4 full with the custard filling
Bake for about 16 minutes until the pastry is golden, the custard cooked, with one or two caramelised spots on the surface
Tarts ready to bake
Remove from oven, sprinkle with powdered cinnamon & freshly grated nutmeg
Cool for at least 5 minutes in the tray, then using a pallet knife, remove and continue to cool on a wire tray