Portuguese Custard Tarts - Taste of Artisan (2024)

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Portuguese Custard Tarts - Taste of Artisan (1)

If you've ever tried authentic, traditional Portuguese custard tarts you know they are heavenly and in the league of their own. Making them at home is no more difficult than making croissants or custard based ice cream. If you've ever made those, this recipe should be a piece of cake for you.

The eternal problem is making them crispy and beautifully browned in the home kitchen oven. Almost every recipe I've tried warns you upfront that your tarts may not (read will not) brown as much as on the pictures they attach. Hm... There's got to be a way. After many trials I can say yes, you can get them to brown and look like real authentic Portuguese custard tarts.

The solution, as was the case with making French caneles that I described in myPerfecting Canele Recipe and Techniquepost,was high heat plus a quick modification to the oven (no worries, you don't need to take your cookerapart).

This recipe for the Portuguese custard tarts comes from David Leite's ofLeite’s Culinariawho sourced it fromAntiga Confeitaria de Belémin Lisbon, Portugal. While there are many other good recipes for Portuguese custard tarts out there, I chose this one based on predominantlypositive feedback.

As usual, I made a few adjustments to suite my taste. I made powdered sugar and cinnamon optional as I think the pastry is sweet enough on its own. Not using cinnamon is a personal choice. Add it back if you like it. I also chose to use a regular size muffin pan (cups about 2.5" by 1.5") instead of a mini muffin pan. This makes it a bit easier to finish the recipe as you only have to make two batches instead of three. Larger size custard tarts also require longer baking time which helps with browning.

Portuguese Custard Tarts - Taste of Artisan (2)

Tips for crispy, flaky, and very nicely browned pastry for Portuguese custard tarts

Follow these tips and you will have one heck of a dessert and eternal respect and love from your friends and family.

Tip #1

When laminating your dough make sure the butter is evenly layered, all excess flour and air pockets are removed, and the dough is rolled very thin and folded neatly.

Tip #2

Use an accurate and fast instant readthermometer, e.g. ThermoWorks Super-Fast Thermapen or Lavatools Instant Read Meat and Food Thermometer, to quickly and precisely measure custard temperature. If the temperature gets even a few degrees higher than specified it may ruin the custard beyond saving. Custard begins to set at around 160F - 165F and begins to curdle if heated past 175F.

Tip #3

Use aluminum (or copper) muffin pans. Copper ones are hard to find and are super expensive. Aluminum ones, like thisNordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Muffin Pan,won't break the bank will do the job very well. Carbon steel pans are great too, they heat very quickly, but require high maintenance due being prone to rusting. Stainless steel muffin pans are not my favorite as they don't conduct heat as well as copper or carbon steel. They look pretty though, and are easy to clean, if that's your thing.

You should notput non-stick cookware in an oven hotter than 500F as non-stick coating releases harmful chemicals at high temperatures. Aluminum or copper conduct heat better too.

Portuguese Custard Tarts - Taste of Artisan (3)

Tip #4

Preheat your oven for no less than 1 hour. Even if it beeps telling you it's ready, it's not.

Tip #5

The secret to proper browning is high and sufficient radiating heat. You won't get that from yourkitchen oven without a modification. The good news is that a simple mod is all that's required. Place a 14 by 16 inch baking stone belowand another one above the muffin pan in which you will be baking your Portuguese custard tarts.

I really like the stones sold under the name ofOld Stone Oven Rectangular Pizza Stoneand I have been using them for over two years now. They are large and thick enough to provide plenty of radiating heat. The stonebelow should be right under the muffin pan. A thick enough stone stores a lot of energy that will be radiated during baking and will help the tarts crisp and brownquickly and evenly. These stones are also indispensable for bakingthings such asbaguettes (French Baguette Recipe)or bread (How to Make Sourdough bread in 6 Easy Steps).

If you don't have two pizza stones, no problem. Use unglazed tiles or even red bricks to make two layers above and under the muffin pan. The thicker the stones or tiles are, the better. Bricks will be the best, but they do need a much longer preheating time and are a hassleto move in and out of the oven.

Tip #6

Portuguese custard tartsare best eaten warm the day they’re made. The crispiness will be gone by the next day or so.

Portuguese Custard Tarts - Taste of Artisan (4)

Portuguese Custard Tart Recipe

An authentic recipe for the most delicious Portuguese custard tarts.

4.95 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Portuguese

Keyword: custard tarts

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Chilling the dough: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 custard tarts

Calories: 350kcal

Author: Victor

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (level; about 272 g)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 14 Tbsp water (3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp; about 207 ml)
  • 1 cup butter (unsalted, room temperature, stirred until smooth; about 227 g)

For the custard

  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (27 g)
  • 1 1/4 cups milk (divided; 296 ml)
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (264 g)
  • 2/3 cup water (158 ml)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 6 egg yolks (whisked)
  • Powdered sugar (optional)
  • Cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

  • To make the dough, place the flour, salt, and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook. Mix for about 30 seconds until soft and pillowy dough forms that cleans the side of the bowl.

  • Place the dough on a generously floured work surface. Pat the dough into a 6-inch square using a pastry scraper. Sprinkle with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

  • Roll the dough into an 18-inch square. Use the scraper to lift the dough and add flour underneath to avoid the dough sticking.

  • Brush excess flour off the top of the dough, trim any uneven edges, and using a small offset spatula dot and then spread the left two-thirds of the dough with a little less than one-third of the butter to within 1 inch of the edge.

  • Neatly fold over the unbuttered right third of the dough (using the pastry scraper to loosen it if it sticks), brush off any excess flour, then fold over the left third. Starting from the top, pat down the packet with your hand to release air bubbles, then pinch the edges closed. Brush off any excess flour.

  • Turn the dough packet 90 degrees to the left so the fold is facing you. Lift the packet and flour the work surface. Once again roll out to an 18-inch square, then dot and spread the left two-thirds of the dough with one-third of the butter, and fold the dough as in steps 4 and 5.

  • For the last rolling, turn the packet 90 degrees to the left and roll out the dough to an 18-by-21-inch rectangle, with the shorter side facing you. Spread the remaining butter over the entire surface.

  • Using the spatula as an aid, lift the edge closest to you and roll the dough away from you into a tight log, brushing the excess flour from the underside as you go. Trim the ends and cut the log in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or preferably overnight.

  • Now make the custard. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and 1/4 cup of the milk until smooth. Set aside.

  • Bring the sugar, cinnamon, and water to a boil in a small saucepan and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 220°F (100°C). Do not stir.

  • Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, scald the remaining 1 cup milk. Whisk the hot milk into the flour mixture.

  • Remove the cinnamon stick then pour the sugar syrup in a thin stream into the hot milk-and-flour mixture, whisking briskly. Add the vanilla and stir for a minute until very warm but not hot. Whisk in the yolks, strain the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

  • Assemble and bake the pastries

  • Heat the oven to 550°F (290°C) with two baking stones inside for at least one hour. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and roll it gently back and forth on lightly floured work surface until it’s about an inch in diameter and 15 inches long. Cut it into scant 1.25-inch pieces. Place the dough pieces cut-side down into each of the the 12 cups of the 12-cup aluminum muffin pan (each cup measuring about 2.5" by 1.5"). Let the dough pieces often several minutes until they become soft and pliable.

  • Dip your thumbs into the water, then press straight down into the middle of the dough piece. Flatten it against the bottom of the cup to a thickness of about 1/8 inch, then smooth the dough up the sides and create a raised lip about 1/8 inch above the pan. The pastry sides should be thinner than the bottom.

  • Fill each cup 3/4 full with the slightly warm custard. Bake the tarts until the edges of the dough are frilled and brown, about 10-12 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and allow the tarts to cool a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack and cool until just warm. Repeat the steps with the remaining dough and custard mix.

  • Serve and enjoy. Optionally, sprinkle the tarts generously with powdered sugar, then cinnamon before serving.

Notes

The custard mix can be refrigerated up to three days. The laminated dough can be frozen up to three months. Frozen pastry can be placed in the fridge overnight the day before baking and will be ready to work with the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Updated on March 19, 2017

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Portuguese Custard Tarts - Taste of Artisan (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a custard tart and a Portuguese custard tart? ›

British tarts use the less flavoursome shortcrust pastry, which doesn't provide as much textural contrast with the smooth custard. They are also topped with nutmeg, which fails to bring the custard alive as Portugal's cinnamon does. Worse, they are now almost all mass-produced with palm oil-based pastry.

What is the most famous Portuguese tart? ›

No trip to Lisbon is complete without eating a pastéis de nata (or a few!). These Portuguese egg custard tarts are the perfect anytime-snack and really satisfy any sweet cravings you may have.

What does a Portuguese custard tart taste like? ›

Portuguese custard tarts (or pasteis de nata) are crisp, creamy, and decadently sweet. This Portuguese dessert recipe features a delicately spiced flavor and uses pantry ingredients like egg yolks, flour, and cinnamon to create a one-of-a-kind pastry.

Does Costco sell Portuguese tarts? ›

Allie & Sara's Kitchen Portuguese Custard Tarts, 12 x 60 g | Costco.

Do you eat Portuguese custard tarts hot or cold? ›

They can be enjoyed warm or cold. If you've made a batch but don't want to eat them all they will freeze well. Just place a few in a tupperware box and freeze for up to 3 months. You probably won't need to though as they will all disappear pretty sharpish!

Do Portuguese tarts need to be refrigerated? ›

Pasteis de Nata are best eaten warm (or cold) the same day they are baked. However you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days.

Why are Portuguese tarts so good? ›

The pastry is laminated with butter like an extra fine croissant. Each bakery – or pasteleria – has its own secret formula for the custard filling involving eggs, butter (naturally), lemon, sugar and other spices such as cinnamon. The balance of fat, egg and sugar is critical.

What do you drink with Portuguese tarts? ›

Port would be the obvious option, given the origins of the tart (tawny rather than ruby, I'd suggest) but other sweet wines such as oloroso or cream sherry, similar styles of montilla, malaga, madeira and orangey moscatels would be great too.

What is the oldest Portuguese tart? ›

The origin of Pastel de Nata dates back to before the 18th century, where they were created by monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon. At that time, convents and monasteries used large quantities of egg-whites for starching clothes.

Do Aldi sell Portuguese tarts? ›

Sweet Haven Portuguese Tarts 4pk/280g.

How do you eat Portuguese tart? ›

The outside of the art is made from crispy, flaky pastry, whilst the inside is a creamy, custardy mix. Once baked, the tart is caramelised on top and ready to eat. Our advice is to eat them fresh from the oven, or at least the same day you bought them on, dusted in cinnamon or icing sugar.

Are egg tarts Chinese or Portuguese? ›

The egg tart (traditional Chinese: 蛋撻; simplified Chinese: 蛋挞; Cantonese Yale: daahn tāat; pinyin: dàntǎ) is a kind of custard tart found in Chinese cuisine, derived from the English custard tart and Portuguese pastel de nata. The dish consists of an outer pastry crust filled with egg custard.

What is the shelf life of Portuguese tarts? ›

The Baker Street Mini Portuguese Custard Tarts contains 75 units per box with a shelf life of 4C \3-5 day fresh (Frozen 10 month) months and weigh 40g.

Do you reheat Portuguese tarts? ›

How should I reheat these egg tarts? The best way to reheat these is in the oven or toaster oven, turn it up to about 200C/390F and bake them for about 5 minutes. The custard will be nice and warm and the pastry should be crisp and flaky again!

Can you buy frozen Portuguese tarts? ›

4 Frozen puff pastry cases with a custard filling. Our tarts are made in Portugal to an authentic recipe and have a crumbly pastry with a velvety custard filling. To be enjoyed warm, fresh from the oven. Ready to Bake Portuguese tarts with a velvety custard filling.

What are the 3 types of custard? ›

3 Varieties of Custard

There are three main varieties of custard: baked custard, stirred custard, and steamed custard. The first two are both popular in Western cuisine. Baked custard is typically firmer and made with whole eggs, while stirred custards can be much runnier and often only contain the yolks.

Why is it called a Portuguese tart? ›

The Portuguese egg tart was invented thanks to monks and laundry. With its distinctive caramelized, creme brulee-like topping, pastéis de nata are arguably Portugal's favorite dessert. They were supposedly first made in the 13th century by monks in the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.

What is the original Portuguese tart? ›

The origin of Pastel de Nata dates back to before the 18th century, where they were created by monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon. At that time, convents and monasteries used large quantities of egg-whites for starching clothes.

What is the difference between Portuguese tarts and Hong Kong tarts? ›

While Portuguese egg tarts have a flaky pastry crust, Hong Kong egg tarts typically feature a shortcrust pastry shell. This pastry is firmer and more cookie-like in texture, providing a sturdy base for the custard filling.

References

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