Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tarts)

Pastel de Nata, Pastel de Belém or the best sweet in the world...

The Portuguese Pastel de Nata is consensually considered one of the best sweets in the world, everyone knows it, everyone loves it and, of course, if you want to taste the original, just come to Portugal and to the Belém district, in the monumental area of Lisbon where it was born.

While you don't make your decision, or if you want to remember it, today we share with you the recipe so you can make it at home.

We hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

400 g

Puff Pastry

250 g

Sugar

500 ml

Milk

6

Egg Yolks

2

Egg Whites

1 level

TBSP Flour

Lemon Zest (optional)

Icing Sugar

Cinnamon

Procedures

PASTRY

Roll the pastry out into an oblong, then roll along its length into a sausage. Cut into equal slices and put one in each hole in a patty tin. Squash the pastry inside the tin (with wet fingers). Press with your thumbs from the bottom to the sides so the pastry is thinner at the bottom. Put the tins in the fridge while you work on the filling.

FILLING

Pre-heat the oven at its maximum temperature (220-250°C). Mix the flour in the cold milk and pour into a pan, mix and bring to boil, whisking all the time. Add a bit of lemon peel. At the same time, boil the sugar with some water to "soft ball" stage, or rather, boil it for about 10 minutes and don't let it colour. Remove the milk from the heat and add the sugar boiled with water. Allow this mixture to cool down. Beat very well the egg whites. Add the yorks and the egg whites beaten and mix gently. Pour into the pastry cases straight from the fridge in the pre-heated oven. Cook for about 15 minutes, and then watch them until the pastry is golden and the custard turns dark brown in patches. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the tins, but tap the tins first, so they don't stick. Eat slightly warm, sprinkled with icing sugar and cinnamon on top, as is traditional in Portugal.