Find a recipe by the avaliable engredients Your Cooking Assistant
Set the ingredients

Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata)

4

240 min

Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata)

Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 1

Time

240 min

Serving

12 persons

Calories

210

Rating

4.00★ (153)

Cuisine

European
Author: Victoria Buriak
Pasteis de nata, or Portuguese custard tarts, with their signature flaky crust and sweet custard filling are world-famous, and incredibly delicious. This recipe shows you how to make them from scratch, using basic ingredients. Yes, it requires numerous steps and a certain amount of finesse, but the results are so worth it.

Ingredients

  • all-purpose flour: 1 cup
  • kosher salt: 0.25 tsp
  • water: 0.33333 cup (cold)
  • stick high-quality unsalted butter, fully: 1 piece (softened, divided)
  • white sugar: 0.75 cup
  • water: 0.25 cup
  • water: 1 Tbsp
  • cinnamon stick: 1 piece (optional)
  • lemon, zested in large strips: 1 piece (optional)
  • all-purpose flour: 0.33333 cup
  • kosher salt: 0.25 tsp
  • ½ cups milk: 1 piece
  • egg yolks: 6 piece
  • vanilla extract: 1 tsp (optional)

Metric Conversion

Stages of cooking

Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 2 1
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 3 2
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 4 3
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 5 4
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 6 5
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 7 6
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 8 7
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 98
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 10 9
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 11 10
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 12 11
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 13 12
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 14 13
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 15 14
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 16 15
  1. 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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 2
  2. Transfer dough onto a well-floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for 1 to 2 minutes to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 3
  3. Roll dough into a square about 1/8-inch-thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 4
  4. 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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 5
  5. 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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 6
  6. 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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 7
  7. 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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 8
  8. Preheat the oven to 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 9
  9. 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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 10
  10. Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 11
  11. Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 12
  12. Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press your 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. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 13
  13. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 14
  14. Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 15
  15. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm. Enjoy! DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 
    Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) Photo 16

How did you like this article?

You may also like