Embark on a culinary journey to Portugal with the irresistible Pastéis de Nata, the iconic custard tarts that have captivated taste buds for centuries. These delectable pastries, also known as Portuguese egg tarts, are renowned for their flaky puff pastry shells and velvety custard filling, resulting in a symphony of flavors and textures that will transport you to the heart of Lisbon. In this comprehensive guide, we present a collection of authentic recipes that will guide you through the art of crafting these delectable treats. From traditional methods to innovative variations, discover the secrets to creating perfect Pastéis de Nata that will impress your family and friends. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting your culinary adventure, these recipes provide step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure success. Indulge in the rich history and exquisite flavors of Pastéis de Nata, and let your taste buds experience a moment of pure bliss.
Let's cook with our recipes!
PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS - PASTEIS DE NATA
These are delicious Portuguese Custard Tarts.
Provided by John J. Pacheco
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Portuguese
Time 40m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
- In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
- Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top
Nutrition Facts : Calories 335.9 calories, Carbohydrate 38.7 g, Cholesterol 104 mg, Fat 18.2 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 5 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 114.2 mg, Sugar 18.5 g
PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)
This slightly streamlined recipe for the world-famous pasteis de nata, or Portuguese custard tarts, uses just few basic ingredients but requires numerous steps and a certain amount of finesse. The results are so worth it, though, you'll want to make a double batch. The extra moisture inside the sticky dough, activated by a very hot oven, creates the signature flaky, buttery, crispy crust, which encases a custard subtly scented with lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Portuguese
Time 4h
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
- Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
- Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
- Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
- Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
- Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 210.2 calories, Carbohydrate 25.2 g, Cholesterol 125.2 mg, Fat 10.6 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 3.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.1 g, Sodium 98.3 mg, Sugar 14.1 g
PASTEIS DE NATA (CUSTARD TARTS)
A trulty delicious custard tartlet. They might not look very good but everyone who tastes them loves them. I have to have them at every party I give. A traditional Portuguese pastry. Not sure about the prep or cook times, I only made them once many years ago, its easier to buy them ;-) adapted from "Foods of the Azores Islands" by Deolinda Maria Avila (Self-published, 1977) Makes 12 pastries Make sure the pastry ingredients are well chilled and the custard ingredients are at room temperature. The pastry is partially baked before filling to eliminate an uncooked pastry layer that sometimes can result.
Provided by Evamyth
Categories Tarts
Time 40m
Yield 12 tartlets
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Make the pastry.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the flour, salt and sugar to combine.
- Add the butter and pulse until the flour resembles coarse, uneven cornmeal, about 10 1-second pulses.
- Drizzle 5 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture.
- Pulse several times to work the water into the flour.
- Add the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue pulsing until the mixture develops small curds.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface, shape it into a disc and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to 1/16-inch thickness.
- Cut out 6 (4 1/2-inch) circles.
- (If you don't have a cookie cutter, a wide-mouth jar works well.) Ease the dough circles into a 12-cup (4-ounce capacity) nonstick muffin tin, pressing out any overlapping folds.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Place the tin in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Remove and trim any overhang with the back of a knife so that the pastry cups are flush with the top of the tins.
- Line dough cups with cupcake papers and fill with dried beans or pastry weights.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 8 to 10 minutes to set.
- Make the custard.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of the cream in a medium bowl.
- Add the remaining cream and sugar, and stir until the mixture is smooth and the sugar dissolves.
- Check for sugar granules with a spoon; none should remain.
- In a small bowl, blend the yolks with a fork until smooth.
- Add the yolks to the cream mixture, stirring gently to combine.
- Ladle the egg mixture into the partially baked pastry cups, filling to 2/3 capacity.
- Bake in at 350°F (180°C) until the edges of the custard are puffed and middle is still jiggly, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- (The custard will continue to cook.) Cool completely in the tin.
- The pastéis are best when eaten the same day.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 363.1, Fat 22.8, SaturatedFat 13.7, Cholesterol 149.2, Sodium 212.2, Carbohydrate 36.4, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 18.9, Protein 4.1
PASTéIS DE NATA (PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS)
A classic Portuguese custard tart with buttery pastry and a hint of cinnamon and lemon in the filling. Who could resist these delicious tiny treats?
Provided by Nuno Mendes
Categories Dessert, Treat
Time 1h25m
Yield makes 8
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Using a pastry brush, grease eight individual pastry tins generously with the melted butter, then chill in the fridge. Put the butter between two sheets of baking parchment, then bash and roll into a large rectangle roughly the thickness of a £1 coin. In a large bowl, mix the flour with 150ml water and a pinch of salt using a wooden spoon. Tip the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth.
- Shape the dough into a rough rectangle, cover with cling film and rest in the fridge for 20 mins. If your butter is getting too soft, put it in the fridge to chill too. Roll the dough out into a large, thin rectangle at least twice the size of the butter. Put the butter in the middle of the dough, fold all the edges up over it to encase it, then fold the dough over itself in half.
- Roll out the dough to roughly half its original size, then fold in half, then half again to make a rectangle a quarter the size of the original. Repeat this process once more, flouring your work surface if you need to. Don't worry about being too precise here, or if the butter starts breaking through some of the layers. Cover and put the pastry in the fridge to rest for 20 mins.
- On a floured surface roll the chilled dough into a thin A3-sized rectangle, then roll it up lengthways into a tight sausage shape. Divide the pastry into three, the middle section will make your perfect looking tarts, then wrap and freeze the rest for another time. (It would also make delicious palmier biscuits if you roll it out and sprinkle with sugar.)
- Slice the pastry into 8 discs. Work the discs into the tins with your fingers, pressing and stretching them to fill the tins. If the layers start to come apart, press them back together. Chill while you make the custard.
- In a pan, warm 150ml milk with the cinnamon stick, lemon peel and half the butter until just simmering and the butter has melted. In a large bowl, sieve the cornflour and flour into the remaining milk and whisk to form a thin paste. Pour the warm milk mixture over the flour paste and leave to infuse for a few mins. Sieve the custard back into the pan, heat gently and keep stirring for 3-4 mins until it reaches the consistency of double cream. Take off the heat and blend in the remaining butter.
- Put the syrup ingredients in a frying pan and stir over a medium heat for 5 mins until you have a light, fragrant caramel. Take the pan off the heat and carefully pour in 100ml water. Return the pan to a low heat until the sugar has melted again into a syrup. Strain into a bowl.
- Slowly add half the syrup to the custard and whisk until completely blended. You can store the custard in the fridge from this point, but don't add the eggs until just before you are ready to cook the tarts. Heat your oven to 260C/240C fan/gas 8 or as high as your oven will go. Put a baking tray on the top shelf of the oven to heat up. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, then incorporate into the custard. Pour the mixture into the pastry bases.
- Put the filled tin on the hot baking tray. Put the tray in the middle of the oven and bake for 5- 8 mins, or until the custard starts to puff up. Once the custard has puffed up, turn the oven onto its grill setting and transfer the tarts to the top shelf. Grill for 1-2 mins or until caramelised - the darker the better. Remove from the oven and brush with a little of the remaining syrup. Let the tarts cool slightly in the moulds before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 460 calories, Fat 22 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 58 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 30 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 3 grams protein, Sodium 0.1 milligram of sodium
PASTéIS DE NATA
Pastéis de nata (or Portuguese egg custard tarts) have a melt-in-the-mouth, fragile, flaky crust and a not-too-sweet custard that is caramelized in spots.
Provided by Leandro Carreira
Yield Makes 35 tarts
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- To make the puff pastry, put the flour into a mound on a work counter. Put 1 ¼ cups plus 2 teaspoons (320 ml or 11 fl. oz.) water into a jug or measuring cup and season with a pinch of salt. Make a small well in the middle of the flour and pour in the water. Start mixing the flour into the water to form a smooth dough, then cover with a dish towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the butter into three equal portions of 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (160 g or 5 ¾ oz.). Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a work counter. Cut the first portion of butter into thin slices and lay these on the food wrap in a 20-cm or 8-inch square. Put a second piece of plastic wrap on top of the butter and use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into a thin 20-cm or 8-inch square sheet. Repeat with the remaining two portions of butter so that you have three sheets of butter. The butter needs to be cool but pliable when added to the dough, so chill the sheets and remove each one from the fridge only 5 minutes before using it.
- Roll the dough out on a floured work counter into a 21-cm or 8 ½-inch square. Put a sheet of butter in the center of the dough, leaving a 5-mm or ¼-inch border. Fold the dough and butter in half by folding the top half down, then fold in half again by folding from left to right. Roll out into another 21-cm or 8 ½-inch square, then transfer to a baking sheet, cover and rest in the fridge for 25 minutes. Repeat with the remaining two sheets of butter. Rest the dough each time you add the butter.
- When you have used up all the butter, roll the dough into a rectangle 32 x 20-cm or 13 x 8-inches. Roll the dough tightly into a cylinder, starting from the long edge. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- If using ready-made puff pastry, roll the pastry out to a rectangle 32 x 20-cm or 13 x 8-inches. Roll the pastry tightly into a cylinder, cover and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- To make the filling, put the sugar into a saucepan with 1 ⅓ cups (320 ml or 11 fl. oz.) water and heat over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat to medium and boil for 8-10 minutes until it reaches 241ºF on a thermometer.
- Meanwhile, put the cornstarch, egg yolks, milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and lemon rind into a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Once the sugar has reached temperature, remove the pan from the heat and whisk the syrup into the milk mixture. Mix well, then pour the mixture back into the pan and put over a low heat and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until it thickens. Remove and discard the lemon rind and vanilla pod, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and leave to cool. Cover and chill until needed.
- Using a sharp knife, cut slices from the dough cylinder, about 5-mm or ¼-inch thick, making a downwards cut and not slicing. Each portion should be about 25 g or 1 oz., but this will depend on the size of your pans or pan.
- Have a bowl of cold water nearby. Arrange all the cake pans on several baking sheets and keep them in the fridge. One at a time, place a circle of pastry in the bottom of each pan, making sure the layers of butter are seen when viewed from above. This ensures the pastry will rise outwards and upwards as it bakes. Wet your thumb in the cold water and press the dough towards the outer edge of the pan, filling up to the rim. Repeat with all the pans, then put them back in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 475 F°.
- Fill the lined pans with the filling, almost to the top. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the filling is almost set with browned spots on the top and the dough is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and dust with confectioners' sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve warm or cold. These tarts are best eaten on the day they are made.
PORTUGUESE EGG CUSTARD TARTS
These diminutive egg tarts - pasteis de nata - a specialty all over Portugal, have a cinnamon flavored custard nestled in a flaky puff pastry crust. The trick here is to bake them in a very hot oven, which causes the custard to puff and the pastry to turn brown and crunchy. You can make the crust and filling ahead, but don't bake them more than an hour or two before serving. They're at their best still warm.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories pies and tarts, dessert
Time 1h
Yield 48 tarts
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into an 18-inch/46-centimeter square. Starting with the edge closest to you, tightly roll the dough into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 30 minutes and preferably overnight.
- Heat the oven to 500 degrees and arrange the oven racks in the top third and lower third of the oven. Place 2 cookie sheets on the oven racks while the oven heats.
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cinnamon stick and 2/3 cup/165 milliliters water. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Turn off heat and let stand until you're ready to use it.
- Roll the firm log of pastry on a lightly floured surface until 1 inch/2 1/2 centimeters in diameter. Trim the ends, then cut the log into 1/2-inch/12-millimeter slices. (You should have 48.)
- Using a rolling pin, roll one of the pastry rounds into a 2 1/2-inch/63-millimeter circle. Place pastry into the cavity of a mini-muffin tin, and press to evenly flatten the dough against the bottom and sides of the cavity, extending about 1/16 inch/3 millimeters above the rim of the pan. The dough should be about 1/16 inch/3 millimeters thick, with the bottom a bit thicker than the sides. Repeat with the remaining dough, chilling the cut rounds if dough becomes difficult to roll. Refrigerate crusts until firm, at least 10 minutes.
- While the dough chills, finish the filling: In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon/255 milliliters milk over medium-low heat until bubbles begin to form around the edges.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour with the remaining 5 tablespoons/75 milliliters milk. Continue whisking while adding the hot milk in a slow, steady stream. Discard the cinnamon stick from the sugar syrup and whisk the syrup into the milk mixture in a steady stream. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Place the yolks in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, add hot milk mixture to eggs in a slow stream until fully incorporated. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour warm filling into pastry shells until they're three-quarters full.
- Transfer tarts to the cookie sheets in oven and bake until the shells are golden brown and crisp, and the custards are golden brown and darkened in spots, 15 to 19 minutes.
- Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then pop out tarts to continue cooling on the racks for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 486, UnsaturatedFat 16 grams, Carbohydrate 58 grams, Fat 25 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 162 milligrams, Sugar 29 grams
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: This will make a big difference in the flavor of your pastéis de nata. Use fresh eggs, butter, and milk, and make sure your puff pastry is fresh and flaky.
- Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing the dough will make it tough. Mix it just until it comes together, then stop.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out: This will help the dough to be more pliable and easier to work with.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough: This will help to prevent the dough from tearing.
- Don't overfill the pastry shells: The custard will rise as it bakes, so don't fill the shells more than two-thirds full.
- Bake the pastéis de nata until the custard is set and the tops are golden brown: This will take about 20-25 minutes.
- Let the pastéis de nata cool for a few minutes before serving: This will help the custard to set.
Conclusion:
Pastéis de nata are a delicious and easy-to-make Portuguese pastry. They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dessert. With a few simple tips, you can make perfect pastéis de nata at home. So what are you waiting for? Give this recipe a try today!
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