Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tarts)
Portugal's famous custard tarts
SERVES
24
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
20
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
25
MINUTES
Ingredients
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
115g golden caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
400ml whole milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
a sprinkling of ground cinnamon (optional)
900g puff pastry
Lightly grease 2 x 12 muffin tins
Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.
Put the egg, yolk, sugar and cornflour in a saucepan and whisk, gradually add the milk and whisk until smooth.
Cook on a medium heat and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil, continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and cinnamon if using.
Transfer to a Pyrex bowl, allow to cool. Cover with parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming – prick here and there to allow steam to escape.
Roll the chilled puff pastry into a 3mm thick sheet, stamp out 7.5cm discs. Press into the muffin tins.
Spoon a generous dessertspoon of the cool custard into each pastry case. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 – 20 minutes or golden on top and slightly charred. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack. Eat warm or at room temperature.
