EASY PASTEIS DE NATA (PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS)
I made these for the first time today. Those that did get a chance to try them said they were very nice.
- ⅓ cup cake flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups full cream milk
- 1 ⅓ cups white sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 lemon peel, only cut into strips
- 1 ½ sheets puff pastry
- ground cinnamon for dusting, optional
Cut the puff pastry sheets to have 3 equal parts. Layer them with melted butter.
Tightly roll into a log, from the short side. I did this the night before and let it sit in the fridge until I needed it.
Preheat oven to 220ºC. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
In a saucepan, bring the sugar, water, vanilla extract, lemon zest and cinnamon stick.
Cook until a thermometer reads a temp of 100ºC. Don’t stir.
Separately, whisk the milk, flour and salt together well.
Cook over medium heat whisking constantly for about 5 minutes or until well combined and milk is thickened.
Take off heat and cool for 10 minutes.
Once cooled, whisk in the egg yolks.
Add the sugar syrup (remove the cinnamon stick first) and mix until everything is well combined.
Strain into a measuring jug.
Cut the log of puff pastry into 12 equal parts. Place 1 piece in each of the 12 muffin tin Wells.
Dip your thumbs in cold water first then press your thumb down into the centre of the dough pieces and press upwards to form a cup with the pastry.
This pastry cup should have its top edge just above the top of the well of the muffin pan. (HAVE A LOOK AT THE PICS ATTACHED)
Fill each pastry cup ¾ of the way to the top with the custard.
Put in the oven and bake until the custard starts to caramelise and blister and the pastry goes golden brown (about 10 to 12 minutes).
Optional to serve warm with the ground cinnamon.
Enjoy.
Recipe and photo: Dalila De Barros Viljoen
