Category: Desserts

Inspired By Travel: Making Pastéis de Nata Portuguese Custard Tarts

11/10/2023

originally post date 11/12/20

Pastéis de Nata Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe is filed under:
Desserts • Snacks • Europe • Portugal • Inspired by Travel • Pastry • Egg

In the Summer of 2018 we had a special opportunity to visit friends and get a taste of a wonderful place - Portugal! No list of "top foods to try in Portugal" is complete without the glorious little Portuguese custard tart known as Pastel de Nata!

Our first Pastéis de Nata came from Portela Cafe on Rua da Graça in Lisbon. It was a short stroll from our airbnb and we wanted to get our Portugal trip off to a good start with cafe and pastries for breakfast! ;)

From there we enjoyed Pastéis de Nata just about everywhere we went - Lisbon, up the Silver Coast, Porto, and even the airport lounge on the way home.

So what exactly is a Pastel de Nata?

Pastéis de Nata are a delightful little treat consisting of a flaky crust filled with custard. Most people enjoy their Pastéis de Nata with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and cinnamon on top! Some people prefer just cinnamon or just powdered sugar while others enjoy a Pastel de Nata as is!

How do you eat a Pastel de Nata?

Easy. Just take a bite for optimal enjoyment of the creamy custard together with the crispy crust. There is a segment of society, however, who prefer to use a spoon to eat the custard first and then eat the crust. Posh. ;p No matter how you eat your pastel de nata, it's going to be delicious!

History of Pastel de Nata

The popular origin story of the Pastel de Nata goes back over 300 years ago to Jerónimos Monastery in Belém. The nuns and monks used egg whites to starch the clothing, leaving a huge amount of egg yolks needing used up. To prevent waste and simultaneously generate income to support the monetary, the custard tart was born. The recipe was later sold when the monastery closed in 1833. Today you can try the original Portuguese custard tart at Pastéis de Belém.

Wait. I'm Confused. Is it Pastéis de Nata, Pastel de Nata or Pastéis de Belém?

Pastel de Nata - one Portuguese custard tart
Pastéis de Nata - multiple Portuguese custard tarts
Pastéis de Belém - Portuguese custard tarts made from the original secret recipe.
The original Pastéis de Belém is only available at Fábrica Pastéis de Belém

It makes me think of how some people say Kleenex any time they mean "tissue" whether it's Kleenex brand or not. Technically, a Kleenex is a tissue, but all tissues are not Kleenex. So all Pastéis de Belém are Pastéis de Nata (albiet branded with the perception of superiority), but not all Pastéis de Nata are Pastéis de Belém. Hope I got that right and hope it makes more sense now!

One last Pastel de Nata in Porto, Portugal

Flash Forward to December 2018 and we were already in withdrawal! On a weekend trip to Toronto we looked up Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market so we could relieve the custard tart experience

Pastéis de Nata from Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market Toronto, Canada | Traveling Through Food

Flash Forward to summer 2019 when family brought back some Pastéis de Nata after attending the Love Never Fails International Convention in Lisbon! And later when we sought out Azores Cafe in Pittsburgh so we could have some more Nata.

Basically, it was high time we tried to make Pastéis de Nata at home...

A Pastel de Nata has two main elements to master:

Flaky Crust
Creamy Custard

Which begs the question....

Can you make Pastéis De Nata with frozen puff pastry?

The answer is yes! If you don't want to go through the effort of making your own puff pastry, you can definitely take the short cut and use frozen puff pastry. I used Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets and it worked like a dream. In the future, I would like to do it 100% from scratch, but it's nice to lower the barrier of entry. ANYONE can make this!

How To Make Pastéis de Nata Custard Step-by-step

I followed LeitesCulinaria's recipe found here

Whisk 3 tablespoons of flour with 1/4 cup of milk until smooth
Bring 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, and 2/3 cup of water to boil. Do not stir this, but let it boil until 220F or 100C
Scald 1 cup of milk (237ml) in a separate small sauce pan. Whisk scalded milk into the milk/flour mixture.
Take the cinnamon stick out from the syrup and pour it into the milk/flour mixture, whisking the whole time. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
Whisk the yolks from 6 large eggs in a bowl. Then whisk them into the milk/flour/syrup mixture.
Strain this thin mixture into a bowl.

How long will Pastéis de Nata uncooked custard mixture last?

Uncooked custard mixture can last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days according to LeitesCulinaria.

At what temperature does milk scald? Why do you scald milk

Milk scalds once it is heated above 180F or 83C. Scalding milk can kill bacteria and enzymes that may interfere with thickening in recipes. (sources here and here)

Tips for using Frozen Puff Pastry to Make Pastéis de Nata

You will want to take the pastry out of the freezer well in advance.

How long does it take for frozen puff pastry to defrost/thaw from frozen?
In general, thaw at room temperature for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

It's important to let the pastry thaw or else you will break it when you try unroll it from the package.

Once the pastry is thawed, you are going to lay it flat on your work space (I used this large cutting board) and then roll it tightly into a log. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate until you are ready to assembly your Portuguese custard tarts!

See this CupcakeJemma video below for the technique:

Assembling Pastéis de Nata

Take the puff pastry log out of the refrigerator and slice it into pieces around 3/4 inches or 18mm.
I used what looks like a vintage mini muffin tin and sprayed with oil to prevent sticking. Place a piece of dough into the pan and use your thumb to press the dough flat into the bottom of the muffin pan and then up around the sides.
Fill each about 3/4 full of the custard mixture.
Bake 8-9 minutes for mini muffin tins at as high as you can get your oven. The recipe recommended 550F or 290C, but our convection oven only goes to 480.

Making Pastéis de Nata with Frozen Puff Pastry | Traveling Through Food

The final product was quite adorable and delicious! This one has a very light dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon on top.

Mini Pastel de Nata made with Frozen Puff Pastry | Traveling Through Food

I also tried to make them in normal sized cupcake tins, but I filled them up too high, causing the custard to run down the side and caramelize way before the pastry was fully cooked. You can tell below that the pastry at the bottom is still soft. I definitely recommend taking seriously the recommendation to fill just 3/4 full!

Mini Pastel de Nata made with undercooked Frozen Puff Pastry | Traveling Through Food

Tip: Fill 3/4 full with custard to prevent overflowing, over caramelization, and undercooked pastry

When do you eat a Pastel de Nata?

According to Eater, "locals eat Pastéis de Nata at breakfast, in the midmorning, after lunch, or in the evening — any time they're craving a snack"

Should you eat Portuguese custard tarts hot or cold?

There's no wrong way! Some people love them warm, others like the texture of the custard better when it is at room temperature. Still others like them cold! The only way to decide is to try them all three ways, don't you agree? ;-)

Do Pastéis de Nata need refrigerated?

In most instances, there won't be any left over since they are so tasty! But on the off chance that you do have left overs it is recommended that you store them in the fridge.

How do you reheat Pasteis de Nata?

Reheating a pastry like this is best done in an oven or toaster oven over a microwave, for sure. 350F around 7 minutes should do the job!

How long do Pasteis de Natas last?

In an airtight box they may last up to 2 days. If refrigerated around 5 days. But seriously, just eat them today. :)

Is there lemon in Pastéis de Nata?

Although this particular recipe did not call for it, many recipes do infuse lemon flavor into the simple syrup by adding lemon rind to the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick! I will definitely try this next time because I love a bit of lemon in a custard.

Tools That Make It Easier To Make Pastéis de Nata at Home:

Pastel de Nata Tools Pepperidge Farm, Puff Pastry Sheets, 17.3 oz (Frozen)

Pastel de Nata Tools 25 Pack Egg Tart Molds Tiny Pie Tartlets Dessert Mold Pans Tin Puto Cup Bakeware Muffin Cupcake Cake Cookie Mold Baking Tool, Round

Pastel De Nata Tools Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Half Sheet Size, 11-5/8 x 16-1/2

Pastel De Nata Organic Korintje Cinnamon Sticks | Perfect for Baking, Cooking & Beverages | 100+ Sticks | 2 3/4" Length | 100% Raw From Indonesia | by FGO

For That Friend Who is Obsessed With Pastéis de Nata:

Gifts For Pastel De Nata Lovers | Traveling Through Food Pasteis De Nata Recipe

Tried This Recipe?
Send us a photo, tag us @travelingthroughfoodtogether, or leave a comment below!
We'd love to try your favorite recipes or hear about foods you discovered while traveling! Submit a recipe or food story to Traveling Through Food

Pastéis de Nata Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe is filed under:
Desserts • Snacks • Europe • Portugal • Inspired by Travel • Pastry • Egg

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Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Add A Pinch Recipe Review

11/6/2023

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original post 12/17/20

Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Add A Pinch Recipe Review is filed under:
Breakfast • Desserts • Snacks • Apples • Recipe Reviews • North America

Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Add A Pinch Recipe Review

Apple cinnamon muffins are delicious any time of year, but there's something about fall when the air is crisp, the apples are plentiful, and the smell of cinnamon warms your heart that makes it the perfect time to eat cinnamon apple muffins!

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: - Add A Pinch Cinnamon Apple Recipe Review - Traveling Through Food Blog

Apple Cinnamon Muffins Ingredients

All Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Cinnamon
Apples ( I used Granny Smith)
Unsalted Butter
Large Eggs
Vanilla Extract ( I used vanilla beans )
Milk
Granulated Sugar

See Full Recipe

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
1. Sift Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Cinnamon Together (tiny whisk optional, but desirable)

Did You Know? Sri Lanka is known for having the best quality cinnamon in the world, called Ceylon Cinnamon or "true cinnamon". The flavor is more delicate and highly prized in comparison to the more common cassia cinnamon. Both are helpful for diabetics and there is some indication that cinnamon has benefits relating to Alzheimer's disease, potentially blocking the tau protein from building up in the brain which is characteristic of Alzheimer's. (Source)
tl;dr Cinnamon is both delicious and helps to keep your body and mind feeling prime!

Sift Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Cinnamon Together (tiny whisk optional, but desirable)

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
2. Toss diced apples with flour and cinnamon.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
3. Cream the butter and sugar, eggs, and vanilla

Did You Know? In place of vanilla extract, you can always use vanilla beans. Simply split the bean open and scrape out thousands of tiny, flavor-packed seeds! You can also try vanilla paste and pure vanilla powder!

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
4. Alternate folding in the flour mixture with milk

We love our rubbermaid silicone spatulas for this - flexible enough to fold everything in, but sturdy enough to not make a mess!

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
5. Fold in the diced apples tossed in cinnamon and flour.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
6. Scoop into muffin tins and bake at 375 F for ~ 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
7. Prepare the toping - The Add a Pinch Cinnamon Apple Muffins have a delightful Butter Cinnamon Sugar Topping!

Typically you melt the butter, brush the melted butter on the finished muffins hot out of the oven and then dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture. But since I didn't read closely enough, I melted the butter together with the cinnamon and sugar.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
8. Add the topping and enjoy!

I used a silicone pastry brush to spread the butter cinnamon sugar topping over the apple cinnamon muffins and sprinkled an extra bit of sugar to give it some more texture and Voila!

Add a Pinch Cinnamon Apple Muffin Recipe Review

These were some of the most delicious cinnamon apple muffins I've made, and I have made quite a few over the years. The apple chunks were the right size to fully appreciate, the inside of the muffin was moist, but not batter-y and underdone. The topping was delightful! Warm or room temp, this may be the best apple cinnamon recipe I've tried so far! For the full recipe, visit the Add a Pinch Cinnamon Apple Muffins Recipe here!

Thoughts on Apple Cinnamon Muffins? Have a favorite Apple Cinnamon Muffin recipe or tip to share? Leave a comment!

Tried This Recipe?

Send us a photo, tag us @travelingthroughfoodtogether, or leave a comment below!
We'd love to try your favorite recipes or hear about foods you discovered while traveling! Submit a recipe or food story to Traveling Through Food

Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Add A Pinch Recipe Review is filed under:
Breakfast • Desserts • Snacks • Apples • Recipe Reviews • North America

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Traveling through food

Inspired By Travel: Making Pastéis de Nata Portuguese Custard Tarts

So what exactly is a Pastel de Nata?

How do you eat a Pastel de Nata?

History of Pastel de Nata

Wait. I'm Confused. Is it Pastéis de Nata, Pastel de Nata or Pastéis de Belém?

Basically, it was high time we tried to make Pastéis de Nata at home...

Can you make Pastéis De Nata with frozen puff pastry?

How To Make Pastéis de Nata Custard Step-by-step

How long will Pastéis de Nata uncooked custard mixture last?

At what temperature does milk scald? Why do you scald milk

Tips for using Frozen Puff Pastry to Make Pastéis de Nata

Assembling Pastéis de Nata

When do you eat a Pastel de Nata?

Should you eat Portuguese custard tarts hot or cold?

Do Pastéis de Nata need refrigerated?

How do you reheat Pasteis de Nata?

​How long do Pasteis de Natas last?

Is there lemon in Pastéis de Nata?

Tools That Make It Easier To Make Pastéis de Nata at Home:

For That Friend Who is Obsessed With Pastéis de Nata:

Pin & Share This Post:

Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Add A Pinch Recipe Review

Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Add A Pinch Recipe Review

Apple Cinnamon Muffins Ingredients

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: ​1. Sift Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Cinnamon Together (tiny whisk optional, but desirable)

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: 2. Toss diced apples with flour and cinnamon.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: 3. Cream the butter and sugar, eggs, and vanilla

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: 4. Alternate folding in the flour mixture with milk

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: 5. Fold in the diced apples tossed in cinnamon and flour.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: 6. Scoop into muffin tins and bake at 375 F for ~ 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: 7. Prepare the toping - The Add a Pinch Cinnamon Apple Muffins have a delightful Butter Cinnamon Sugar Topping!

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins: 8. Add the topping and enjoy!

Add a Pinch Cinnamon Apple Muffin Recipe Review

Thoughts on Apple Cinnamon Muffins? Have a favorite Apple Cinnamon Muffin recipe or tip to share? Leave a comment!

Tried This Recipe?

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How long do Pasteis de Natas last?

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
1. Sift Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Cinnamon Together (tiny whisk optional, but desirable)

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
2. Toss diced apples with flour and cinnamon.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
3. Cream the butter and sugar, eggs, and vanilla

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
4. Alternate folding in the flour mixture with milk

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
5. Fold in the diced apples tossed in cinnamon and flour.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
6. Scoop into muffin tins and bake at 375 F for ~ 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
7. Prepare the toping - The Add a Pinch Cinnamon Apple Muffins have a delightful Butter Cinnamon Sugar Topping!

How To Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins:
8. Add the topping and enjoy!