Best 2 Pastel De Nata Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Pastel de nata, also known as Portuguese custard tarts, are a quintessential Portuguese pastry that has captured the hearts of dessert enthusiasts worldwide. These delicate pastries consist of a flaky puff pastry shell filled with a creamy, rich custard center, resulting in a harmonious blend of textures and flavors.

This article presents a collection of two delectable Pastel de Nata recipes. The first recipe, titled "Classic Pastel de Nata," stays true to the traditional Portuguese method, guiding you through the art of creating the perfect custard filling and encasing it in a golden puff pastry shell. For those seeking a gluten-free alternative, the second recipe, "Gluten-Free Pastel de Nata," offers a delightful rendition of this classic treat, using a combination of almond flour and tapioca flour to achieve a crispy, gluten-free crust. Both recipes provide step-by-step instructions, ensuring that even novice bakers can achieve success in their pastel de nata endeavors.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)



Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) image

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

1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup cold water
1 stick high-quality unsalted butter, fully softened, divided
¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon water
1 cinnamon stick
1 lemon, zested in large strips
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups milk
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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

PASTéIS DE NATA



Pastéis de Nata image

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

4¾ cups (600 g or 1 lb. 5 oz.) all-purpose flour
4 sticks plus 1 Tbsp. (480 g or 1 lb. 1 oz.) unsalted butter
Sea salt
1⅔ cups (320 g or 11 ¼ oz.) caster or superfine sugar
½ cup plus 2 tsp. (50 g or 2 oz.) cornstarch
4 egg yolks
2½ cups (600 ml or 20 fl. oz.) whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
Pared rind of 2 lemons
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Ground cinnamon, for dusting

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.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients, especially the puff pastry. This will make a big difference in the final product.
  • Make sure the puff pastry is cold and firm before rolling it out. This will help prevent it from tearing.
  • Roll out the puff pastry thinly, about 1/8 inch thick. This will help it cook evenly.
  • Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork before baking. This will help prevent it from puffing up too much.
  • Bake the pastry until it is golden brown and cooked through. This will take about 20-25 minutes.
  • While the pastry is baking, make the custard filling. Be sure to use fresh eggs and milk.
  • Once the custard is cooked, let it cool slightly before pouring it into the pastry shells.
  • Refrigerate the pastries for at least 4 hours before serving. This will allow the custard to set and the flavors to meld.

Conclusion:

Pastel de nata are a delicious and versatile pastry that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They are also a popular party food. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make these pastries at home. Just be sure to follow the tips above to ensure that your pastries turn out perfectly.

Related Topics