Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts

Name: Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 cup ice-cold water; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups whole milk; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for custard); 6 large egg yolks; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 tsp lemon zest; 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for dusting)

Flaky pastry shells filled with a silky, lightly spiced egg custard, baked until the tops are blistered and golden in the style of Lisbon's famous pasteis de nata. Plan ahead: dough needs 30 minutes to chill.

55 minMediumServes 12230 cal/serving

PortugueseDessertOvenVegetarianLow-SodiumPork-FreeNightshade-Free

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup ice-cold water
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for custard)
6 large egg yolks
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for dusting)

Instructions

1

Make the dough: combine 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup ice-cold water and mix until a rough dough forms. Turn onto a floured surface and knead briefly until smooth, about 1 minute. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2

Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle, spread evenly with half the 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, fold the dough into thirds like a letter, roll out again, spread with the remaining butter, and fold again. Roll into a tight log, wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
3

Make the custard: warm 2 cups whole milk in a saucepan with the 1 cinnamon stick and 1 tsp lemon zest over medium heat until steaming. Do not boil. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes; discard the cinnamon stick.
4

Whisk 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for custard) together in a bowl, then whisk in the warm milk mixture until smooth. Whisk in 6 large egg yolks and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pourable container.
5

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Cut the chilled dough log into rounds about 3/4-inch thick. Press each round into a muffin-tin cup, using your thumbs to spread the dough up the sides.
6

Fill each shell about three-quarters full with custard. Bake for 10-14 minutes until the custard is set with dark, blistered patches on top and the pastry is golden.
7

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Dust with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for dusting) and serve warm or at room temperature.

Questions

Can I make Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, 2 cups whole milk, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for custard). Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the all-purpose flour (for custard) for a plant-based version of the same product. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for custard). Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts keep?

Store it airtight: two to three days at room temperature or up to a week refrigerated. It freezes for up to two months; thaw at room temperature.

Can I halve or double Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts?

Yes. As written it serves 12. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

Serve it with

Strawberry Hibiscus Agua Fresca drink
Maple Bourbon Apple Cider Punch drink

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