These amazing little pastries are so addictive, I've made them a dozen times and seem to never get sick of them. They are a beautiful flakey pastry with a velvetty smooth custard with a silky exterior. If you are excited, you should be.
Ingredients
Pastry
205 g Plain Flour all-purpose flour
4 g Salt
132 ml Water
~ 200 g Unsalted Butter softened, if using salted butter reduce salt to 2 g
Combine flour, salt and water. Mix until a dough has formed. Cover and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Roll the dough out to a big rectangle. Doesn’t really matter how big, just ensure it is thin. Spread softened butter over the dough, from edge to edge.
Make four vertical incisions: Two cuts from the top edge, stopping just before the center of the dough. Two cuts from the bottom edge, stopping just before the center as well. These cuts should align vertically with each other and create three evenly spaced columns in the center section that remain attached.
Fold the dough in a specific sequence to build buttery layers: Begin by folding the bottom-left flap over the left-centre section. Then fold the top-left over the left-centre section again. Then fold the combined layers over the middle section.
Repeat by folding the bottom flap over the centre section. Then the top flap over that.
Then fold that over the right-centre section. Fold the bottom flop over the right-centre and the top as well.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
This is the final folding, roll the dough out to a big rectangle again, spread the butter evenly and trim the edges to make it even.
From the left side (short side) of the dough, roll it up into a tight log. The dough log will be quite large so you can divide it into 2 and then wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Creating The Custard
To make the filling, add the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean and lemon peel to a non-stick saucepan. Boil over medium heat and do not stir. Remove from the heat once it thickens and before it turns amber, this should take about 5-10 minutes.
In another saucepan, add the flour, milk and salt and whisk continuously over medium heat until it starts to thicken and the colour will become more off-white.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks together until completely beaten then pour the milk mixture into the egg yolks whilst whisking until it is all combined. Proceed to add the sugar syrup into the mixture whilst whisking as well.
Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove any clunks, cinnamon sticks and the vanilla bean skin (if using). Re-add the additions for more flavour. Cover with plastic wrap by allowing the plastic to touch the mixture, this will counteract a skin from forming. Place into the fridge until required.
Pre-heat the oven to 250°C (480°F) and remove the dough from the fridge. slice 3 cm portions and add them to your tart molds, sideways. Use your thumb to push down the centre of the dough causing it to squish around the body of the mold. Form the shape in-line with the mold.
Pour in the cooled down custard mixture, leaving a third of headroom. Place them into the hot oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the custard has burn spots and the pastry is golden.
Remove and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before eating.
Recipe Video
Recipe Note
1. Make sure to chill the pastry for at least 2 hours. The best results come from the longer chill time.
2. Allow the sugar syrup to gently boil for 5-10 minutes. Eventually it will start to evaporate the water, dissolve the sugar and thicken. Be sure not to stir or whisk! Only do so once you have removed it from the heat.
3. Scald the milk while whisking. It is easy to burn the milk, so heat up on medium-low until it has thickened. The milk will start to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, remove from the heat and continuously stir.
4. Pre-heat the oven for at least 1 hour. You need a really hot oven. I do not find the best results come from a fan-forced/convection oven. It cooked the pastry way to fast and the custard curdled. If possible, active the top element only and cook for 10 minutes or until the burn spots appear. Once done, activate the top and bottom element to further cook the pastry.
Pastéis De Nata (Portuguese Custard Tarts)
Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users
Category
Pastry
Author:
Kane Bergman
Servings
16
Prep Time
3 hours
Cook Time
10-15 minutes
These amazing little pastries are so addictive, I've made them a dozen times and seem to never get sick of them. They are a beautiful flakey pastry with a velvetty smooth custard with a silky exterior. If you are excited, you should be.
Ingredients
Pastry
205 g Plain Flour all-purpose flour
~ 200 g Unsalted Butter softened, if using salted butter reduce salt to 2 g
Filling
130 g White Granulated Sugar
Directions
Pastry Directions
Creating The Custard
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks together until completely beaten then pour the milk mixture into the egg yolks whilst whisking until it is all combined. Proceed to add the sugar syrup into the mixture whilst whisking as well.
Recipe Video
Recipe Note
1. Make sure to chill the pastry for at least 2 hours. The best results come from the longer chill time.
2. Allow the sugar syrup to gently boil for 5-10 minutes. Eventually it will start to evaporate the water, dissolve the sugar and thicken. Be sure not to stir or whisk! Only do so once you have removed it from the heat.
3. Scald the milk while whisking. It is easy to burn the milk, so heat up on medium-low until it has thickened. The milk will start to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, remove from the heat and continuously stir.
4. Pre-heat the oven for at least 1 hour. You need a really hot oven. I do not find the best results come from a fan-forced/convection oven. It cooked the pastry way to fast and the custard curdled. If possible, active the top element only and cook for 10 minutes or until the burn spots appear. Once done, activate the top and bottom element to further cook the pastry.
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