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Crispy Portuguese Pastéis de Nata Recipe Easy Homemade Custard Tarts

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A classic Portuguese custard tart with a crispy puff pastry shell and creamy, cinnamon-spiced custard filling, perfect for brunch or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 package store-bought puff pastry (about 17 oz / 500g), thawed
  • Butter, melted (optional, for brushing)
  • 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml)
  • 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar (135 g)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g) (use cornstarch for gluten-free option)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (freshly grated)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Roll out thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12 x 16 inch rectangle. Cut into 12 equal squares and press each into muffin or tart tin cups, pressing pastry up the sides. Optionally brush edges with melted butter. Refrigerate while making custard.
  2. In a medium saucepan, whisk sugar and flour together. Slowly add milk and cream while stirring to avoid lumps. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly and just starts to simmer (5–7 minutes). Avoid boiling vigorously.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Temper yolks by slowly adding a few spoonfuls of hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. Pour yolk mixture back into saucepan with remaining milk and cream. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Custard should be silky and slightly thickened.
  4. Remove tart tin from fridge. Fill each pastry shell about 3/4 full with custard using a spoon or ladle. Avoid overfilling.
  5. Bake tarts in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until custard surface has golden blistered spots and pastry edges are deeply browned and crispy. Watch closely after 10 minutes to prevent burning.
  6. Remove from oven and cool in tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Keep puff pastry cold until baking to prevent shrinking and promote flakiness. Temper egg yolks slowly to avoid scrambling. Do not overfill pastry shells to prevent custard spillover. Watch oven temperature carefully to achieve caramelized top without burning. Let tarts rest before serving for best texture. Reheat in oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes to restore crispiness; avoid microwaving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Portuguese custard tarts, Pastéis de Nata, custard tart recipe, puff pastry dessert, cinnamon custard, homemade tarts

Find it online: https://flurpchef.com/crispy-portuguese-past-e-is-de-nata-recipe-easy-homemade-custard-tarts/