Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tarts)
Pasteis de Nata, the famous Portuguese custard tarts. This is not the recipe for Hugo’s gorgeous tarts but it’s also delicious.
SERVES
24
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
45
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
20
MINUTES
Ingredients
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
115g golden caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
400ml whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
a sprinkling of ground cinnamon (optional)
900g puff pastry
Lightly grease 2 x 12 muffin tins.
Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 8.
Put the egg, yolks, 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.
