Pastéis de Nata — Portuguese Custard Tarts from Belém

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare the dough: remove puff pastry from the fridge 10 minutes before use. On a lightly floured surface, roll out into a rectangle about ⅛ inch thick. Roll tightly into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the syrup: in a saucepan, combine sugar with ⅔ cup water, the cinnamon stick, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring until it reaches 226°F (soft-thread stage). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3. 3

   Make the custard: in a bowl, whisk the flour with 3 tbsp of cold milk until smooth with no lumps. In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk with vanilla until just below a boil. Whisk in the flour mixture, then return to low heat, stirring constantly until thickened (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat.

4. 4

   Finish the custard: whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly pour the warm syrup over the yolks while whisking vigorously. Stir this mixture into the thickened custard. Strain through a fine sieve for a perfectly smooth texture. Let cool to room temperature (the custard should be warm, not cold).

5. 5

   Line the molds: preheat oven to 550°F (or as high as your oven goes). Lightly butter twelve 3-inch tart molds (or a muffin tin). Remove the pastry log and cut into ½-inch thick rounds. Press each round into a mold and use wet thumbs to spread the dough up the sides to form a thin shell.

6. 6

   Fill and bake: fill each shell ¾ full with custard (it puffs up while baking). Bake at 550°F for 15–18 minutes until the top is well caramelized, spotted dark brown, and the pastry is golden. Note: the dark burned spots on the surface are characteristic and desired.

7. 7

   Serve: cool for 5 minutes before unmolding. Serve warm, dusted with ground cinnamon and powdered sugar. Pastéis de nata are best enjoyed within 2 hours of baking.