Pasteis de Nata, Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

Roll out puff pastry to about 1/8 inch thick, keeping it square.

Brush the dough lightly with water and roll it up.

Refrigerate the rolled dough for at least 30 minutes.

Make a simple syrup by simmering water, sugar, and a broken cinnamon stick until the sugar dissolves.

Heat milk in a separate pot until hot.

Make a slurry with flour and some of the warm milk to avoid clumps.

Slowly add the warm milk to the flour slurry and mix well.

Separate egg yolks into a large bowl.

Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks, using a spatula to clean the bowl.

Add the simple syrup with cinnamon to the egg yolk mixture.

Return the mixture to the pot and cook over low heat until it thickens slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes, reaching about 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the chilled dough into pieces and fill the pastéis molds.

Spread the dough into the molds using thumbs and fingers, rotating as you go.

Re-chill or freeze the filled molds for 30 minutes before baking.

Strain the custard mixture to ensure smoothness before filling the molds.

Fill the molds with custard just under the top edge.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit before baking.

Carefully place the molds in the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, checking at 7 minutes.

Let the tarts cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the molds.

Dust the tarts with cinnamon powder before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens