Portuguese custard tarts (pasteis de nata)

Portuguese custard tarts, also known as "pastéis de nata," are a traditional pastry from Portugal. They are small, individual tarts made with a flaky pastry crust and filled with a rich, creamy custard made from eggs, sugar, and cream. The tarts are often dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar before serving.

📝 Ingredients

• 14 ounces / 375 grams puff pastry (1 roll) (store-bought)
• 1/2 cup / 100 grams sugar (caster sugar or granulated)
• 3 large egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons / 35 grams plain all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups / 360 ml milk
• 1/4 cup /60 ml milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla pod

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Pastry cases ---
2. 2Unroll the puff pastry onto the paper it was rolled in. If you have a block of pastry rather than pre-rolled, you will have to roll it out to approximately 14 inches x 10 inches (36 cm x 26 cm).
3. 3Starting at one of the long edges, roll the pastry into a tight cylinder and cut it into 12 equal slices.
4. 4Place each slice (cut side facing up) in each hole of a lightly greased 12-hole muffin tin.Using your thumbs, press the pastry down to cover the bottom of each hole, and then ease the pastry up the sides as evenly and as thinly as possible.
5. 5Cover the tray with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator while you make the custard.
6. 6--- Custard ---
7. 7Pour 1½ cups of milk into a saucepan and add the sugar, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod.
8. 8Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until the milk comes to a boil. Remove the milk from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
9. 9While the milk is boiling, whisk the egg yolks, flour and remaining milk in a mixing bowl, taking care to remove all lumps.
10. 10Remove the cinnamon and vanilla pod from the milk and pour approximately one-quarter cup of the hot milk into the flour and egg mixture. Whisk it well and then pour the flour and egg mixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan.
11. 11Do not cook this mixture further. The custard will thicken as it bakes in the oven.Pour the eggs and milk mixture into a pouring jug. This will make it easy to fill the pastry cases.
12. 12--- Assemble and bake ---
13. 13Preheat the oven to 220C / 430F
14. 14Carefully pour the custard into the pastry cases, taking care not to fill them completely. You can fill them to just below the edge of the pastry.
15. 15Bake the tarts in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is cooked and the tarts are starting to get the distinctive brown scorch marks on top.
16. 16Eat the custard tarts either warm or at room temperature. If desired, sprinkle with icing sugar or ground cinnamon before serving.