Pasteis De Nata ~ Authentic Portuguese Custard Tarts
If you’ve ever been to a Portuguese bakery, then you have very likely encountered pasteis de nata, those authentic Portuguese custard tarts everyone loves. They have that charred, blistery top and smooth custard filling. The puff pastry crackles when you bite into one. The contrasting textures are genius and you always want more. I am really happy that I am able to make them at home, and you will be too!
What Pastry Is Used For Pasteis De Nata?
Pasteis de nata use puff pastry for the crust. You can make it yourself using this recipe here, or you can use store bought. If you make it with the recipe on this blog, you will only need half of it. If you use store bought, one of the two sheets will be needed. As long as you have roughly 300 grams, you are good!
What Temperature Do You Bake Pasteis De Nata?
Your oven must be very hot, as high as it will go or at least 500F/260C. This is so the puff pastry will become crispy and the custard blisters. Many home ovens do not get as hot as professional ones, so you must preheat it for some time before baking. Many experts say at least one hour, but I have found 30 minutes to be sufficient.
Tips For Making The Best Pasteis De Nata
- Make sure the oven is blazing HOT! This will ensure that you get the proper browning on the tops. This imparts the authentic flavour pasteis de nata are known for. Also, puff pastry bakes so much better when the oven is very hot.
- Use whole milk. Milk with a lesser butter fat content will yield a less creamy tart.
- Whisk the flour and milk constantly while cooking. If you abandon it for too long and it cooks without whisking, it can clump up. It is then often difficult to whisk it smooth again.
- Avoid stirring the sugar syrup. This will encourage crystallization and the syrup won’t be fully liquid.
- Enjoy as soon as possible. Like most puff pastry items, the optimum time to enjoy them is while they are very fresh. If you store them for too long the crust loses its crispiness.
I hope you will give these pasteis de nata a try. If you do, let me know how they turned out for you!
Pasteis de Nata
Ingredients
- 300 grams puff pastry
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry sheet into a 5 x 12 inch rectangle. With the longer side facing you, roll tightly into a log. Divide the log into 12 equal pieces. With the cut side facing up, press each piece of dough into an ungreased muffin tin so the sides cover well. Flatten with a rolling pin if necessary. Once all cups are lined with dough, chill in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 500F/260C for 1 hour if possible. For the custard, whisk together milk and flour in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium high, whisking constantly. It will come to a boil and begin to thicken. Lower heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl and add about ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture slowly. Whisk quickly so it doesn't turn to scrambled eggs. Add the egg mixture back into the pot and return to heat. Cook another 30 seconds until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
- In a small pot combine sugar, water and salt. Heat on high without stirring until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the custard, whisking until smooth. The mixture will be thin. Set aside to cool until lukewarm.
- Once the oven is blazing hot, remove chilled puff pastry cups from the fridge and fill with the cooled custard. Bake immediately for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are blistered and pastry is golden. Cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Serve warm or cold.
Notes