Inspired By Travel: Making Pastéis de Nata Portuguese Custard Tarts

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

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: 

1. Flaky Crust
2. 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

1. Whisk 3 tablespoons of flour with 1/4 cup of milk until smooth
2. 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
3. Scald 1 cup of milk (237ml) in a separate small sauce pan. Whisk scalded milk into the milk/flour mixture.
4. 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.
5. Whisk the yolks from 6 large eggs in a bowl. Then whisk them into the milk/flour/syrup mixture.
6. 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

1. Take the puff pastry log out of the refrigerator and slice it into pieces around 3/4 inches or 18mm.  
   
   
2. 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. 
   
   
3. Fill each about 3/4 full of the custard mixture.
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4. 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! 

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. 

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

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For That Friend Who is Obsessed With Pastéis de Nata: 

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

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