Classic Pasteis de Nata - Portuguese Egg Tarts
A recent trip to Portugal inspired this pastél de nata recipe. These Portuguese egg tarts are full of cinnamon flavor encapsulated in a butter flakey crust. Give this one a try from scratch!
Disclosure
The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.
Ingredients
- 1 roll pastry dough or ...
Pastry Dough
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 grams salt
- 100 ml cold water
- 125 grams unsalted butter
Filling
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 185 ml water
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 1 large lemon peel/zest
- 250 ml milk
- 25 grams all-purpose flour
- 17 grams cornstarch
- 5 egg yolks
Instructions
Make Dough
- Take two sheets of wax paper and place butter in between. Roll it to a 15x15 cm (6x6 in) square. Wrap it up and place in fridge.
- Add flour, salt and water to a large bowl. Mix until you get a shaggy dough then transfer to a flat work surface.
- Knead the dough for 5-8 minutes until you form a smooth ball. Wrap and place in fridge for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and make a cross with a center large enough for butter slab.
- Add the butter slab to the center then fold the flaps over it.
- Flip upside and place in the fridge to chill for 20 mins
- Remove from the fridge and roll it out to a 15x36 cm (6x14 in) rectangle.
- Make sure to have a long side facing you before you fold. Envision 3 equal sections and fold the left side over the middle then fold the right side over the first fold.Turn the dough quarter turn to the right and the open edge should be facing up.
- Repeat the step above and then cover the dough then chill it for another 20 mins.
- Roll out the dough to a 20x30 cm (8x12 in) rectangle. Pinch a long end to start the rolling process.
- Roll the dough until you reach the other long end.
- Wrap in clingwrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Slice evenly sized pieces of the log and place each one into a tart mold
- Press down on the dough with your thumb and shape to the mold.
- Place the prepared molds in the fridge until ready to use
Make Filling
- Make the liquid sugar. In a pot add sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, and lemon zest.
- Place on medium low heat and stir as it cooks. When all sugar has melted remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Make the milk milk mixture. In a pot, add milk, cornstarch, and flour. Mix until there are no clumps and mixture is smooth.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon zest from the liquid sugar. Add the sugar syrup slowly to the pot of milk as you whisk.
- Place the combined mixture on medium low heat and stir as it thickens. Once the liquid coats the back of a spoon, remove from the heat. Let cool for 10 mins.
- Crack and separate 5 egg yolks in a bowl.
- Add about a ⅓ cup of the mixture to the egg yolks and whisk. Repeat until the egg yolks are warm.
- Add the mixed egg yolks to the rest of the milk sugar in the pot and whisk vigorously to keep the egg from scrambling. Then strain into a container through a sieve.
Bake Tarts
- Preheat oven to 200°C (~400°F)
- Remove prepared tart molds from the fridge.
- Add the filling to the tarts by carefully pouring into each mold. Leave a centimeter space from the edges.
- Bake for 15-20 mins until tops have scorch marks.
- Cool on the counter for 10 mins before removing from mold
- Serve with powdered sugar and cinnamon powder