Portuguese Custard Tarts - Pasteis de Nata

77 Reviews

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Ready In: 40 min

“These are delicious Portuguese Custard Tarts.” - by John J. Pacheco

Ingredients

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 vanilla bean
1 cup white sugar
6 egg yolks
1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

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Metric US

Original recipe yields 12 tarts

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top

Nutrition

Amount Per Serving (12 total)

Calories
336 cal
17%

Fat
18.2 g
28%

Carbs
38.7 g
12%

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Reviews (77)

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315

Lynne C.

Mar. 6, 2006

"The traditional way to line the cups is to take the sheet of puff pastry and roll it into a loaf, then cut slices and place the in the cups, pressing down so that the dough flattens and there is a bit..." See more of a rim of thicker pastry at the top. That way they come out with very crispy and flaky shells."

136

B Spradley

Jul. 14, 2008

"I grew up eating these custards in Macau (a Portuguese colony) so i came in as a tough critique. This was my first time however actually make this, for some reason i though it would be really hard, b..." See moreut i was amazed how easy it was. My whole family loved them, they were gone in several hours. My only suggestion is to use the paper muffin liners. I sprayed half my pan and used the muffin liners for the other half and the greased ones stuck pretty bad, but the paper was great. I also used trader Joes puff pastry and just cut squares for ease... They looked a little different than the authentic ones, but the taste is excellent. I will definitely make again. Oh.. I also used a half tsp of vanilla instead of the vanilla bean. "

IDALINA

Sep. 11, 2006

"Excellent recipe! I used mini muffin cups, the filling was enough for 30, and I used 1 and a half packages of puff pastry. Everyone wanted the recipe. The smaller "pasteis" were just perfect for a sw..." See moreeet table."

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