Pastel de nata is a Portuguese custard tart: a crisp, flaky pastry cup filled with egg yolk custard and baked so hot that the top blisters with dark spots. This recipe makes 12 tarts in about 40 minutes, using one sheet of store-bought puff pastry, 6 egg yolks, milk infused with cinnamon and lemon peel, and a 500°F oven.
The trick that gives you the look of a Lisbon pastry shop is the pastry log. You roll the sheet up tight, slice it into rounds, and press each one into the tin with your thumbs, so the layers spiral up the sides. The plural, by the way, is pastéis de nata.
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- Pastry: 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
- Milk base: 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 strip of lemon peel (yellow part only), 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
- Syrup: 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar and ⅔ cup (160 ml) water, boiled to 220°F (104°C)
- Custard: 6 large egg yolks and 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pan and oven: a standard 12 cup muffin tin, lightly greased, and the oven at 500°F (260°C) or as high as it goes
- Time: 25 minutes prep, 10 to 12 minutes baking, about 40 minutes in total
Rolling the Puff Pastry Into Spiral Shells
Roll the thawed sheet tightly from the short side into a log and cut it into 12 equal pieces. Stand each piece in a muffin cup with the spiral facing up.
Wet your thumbs with cold water so the layers do not stick, and press from the center outward. Push the base very thin, almost see through, and let the sides stay a little thicker as you work them up to just above the rim. A thick base stays pale and doughy, because 10 minutes is not long enough to crisp it.
Chill the tin while you make the custard. Cold pastry holds its shape when the filling goes in.
Cooking the Milk Base and the Sugar Syrup
Infuse and Thicken the Milk
Warm the milk with the cinnamon stick and lemon peel over medium heat until it steams, then take it off the heat and let it steep for 5 minutes. Do not let it boil. In a bowl, whisk the flour with a few tablespoons of the warm milk into a smooth paste, then pour it back into the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring all the time, until the milk thickens slightly and coats a spoon in a thin layer, about like heavy cream. You want body here, not pudding.
Boil the Syrup to 220°F
In a second saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil and leave it alone. No stirring. Take it off the heat the moment it reads 220°F (104°C). Without a thermometer, watch for a few minutes of steady boiling with the syrup still clear and thin. If it starts to turn golden, it is heading toward caramel, and the custard will taste of it.
Whisk Them Together and Strain
Pour the hot syrup into the thickened milk in a thin stream, whisking the whole time. Then strain everything through a fine sieve to catch the cinnamon stick, the lemon peel and any lumps of flour. Let it cool for a few minutes.
Adding the Egg Yolks Without Scrambling Them
Whisk the 6 yolks with the vanilla in a clean bowl. Before you add anything to them, dip a fingertip into the milk mixture. It should feel warm, like a bath, not hot. If it stings, wait another few minutes.
Pour it into the yolks slowly, stirring constantly, until the custard is smooth and pours like cream. The same gentle approach works for a stovetop pumpkin pudding, where the yolks also go into warm milk.
Why the Oven Has to Be So Hot
At 500°F the sugar on the surface scorches into dark spots before the custard underneath has time to overcook and turn rubbery. That flash of heat is closer to torching a pumpkin crème brûlée than to baking a regular tart.
Fill the chilled shells about three quarters full and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The tarts are done when the pastry is crisp and deep golden and the tops have dark, almost black spots. They will look a little burnt in places. That is the look you want.
If your oven stops at 475°F, bake on the top rack and give the tarts a few extra minutes, watching the color of the tops rather than the clock.
Pastel de Nata vs Hong Kong Egg Tart
This pastel de nata uses only egg yolks, a milk base thickened with flour and a boiled sugar syrup, and it bakes at 500°F for 10 to 12 minutes, so the top blisters. My Hong Kong egg tarts use whole eggs, sugar dissolved in hot water and evaporated milk, and bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, which keeps the custard smooth, bright yellow and unbrowned.
That makes this filling richer and denser, and the Hong Kong one lighter and wobblier. For custard in a whole pie, a custard pie or an egg custard pie is the slice version.
Pale, Soggy or Overflowing Tarts
- Tops stayed pale: the oven was not hot enough. Next time preheat for a full 20 minutes and use the top rack.
- Soggy, raw bottoms: the pastry base was pressed too thick, or the shells went into the oven warm. Press thinner and chill the tin.
- Custard bubbled over: the cups were overfilled. Three quarters full is enough, because the custard puffs as it bakes.
- Custard sank after baking: normal. It rises in the heat and settles into a slight dip as it cools.
- Grainy or curdled filling: the milk mixture was too hot for the yolks. Strain it and let it cool longer next time.
Store-Bought Puff Pastry or Homemade Dough?
I have made these with traditional laminated dough and with store-bought puff pastry. Homemade dough smells a little deeper and more buttery, but it takes most of a day. Good all-butter puff pastry still gives crisp spirals and dark tops, so that is what I reach for.
Keeping and Reheating Leftover Tarts
Pastéis de nata are best the day they are baked, slightly warm or at room temperature, dusted with cinnamon, powdered sugar, or both. Cool them in the tin for a few minutes, then on a rack so the bottoms stay crisp.
They can sit out for the day. After that, keep them airtight in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat at 375°F for about 5 minutes to crisp the pastry again. Skip the microwave, which softens the shells. Freezing works in a pinch, with some loss of flake.
Pastel de Nata Questions
Can I make the custard ahead?
Yes. Make the custard up to 1 day ahead, cover it and keep it in the fridge, then stir it well and pour it into freshly chilled shells.
Do I need a candy thermometer for the syrup?
It helps, but it is not required. Take the syrup off the heat after a few minutes of boiling while it is still clear and thin, before any golden color appears.
Why is my pastel de nata custard runny?
Usually it was underbaked or cut while hot. Bake until the tops have dark spots and let the tarts cool for at least 15 minutes, because the custard firms as it cools.
Other Custard Bakes to Try Next
Next, try a lemon crème brûlée, or this pear tart for something with fruit. Tell me in the comments how your first batch went.
Pastel de Nata Recipe
This pastel de nata recipe makes 12 Portuguese custard tarts with crisp puff pastry shells and a rich egg yolk custard that blisters dark on top. They take about 40 minutes and bake in a 12 cup muffin tin at 500°F (260°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Whole milk is infused with a cinnamon stick and lemon peel, thickened with a little flour, sweetened with a sugar syrup boiled to 220°F and finished with 6 egg yolks and vanilla, while rolling the pastry into a log gives the spiral layers of real pastéis de nata. Serve these Portuguese egg tarts warm with cinnamon or powdered sugar, with coffee, at brunch or on a dessert platter. They are best the day they are baked; keep leftovers in the fridge for 2 days and reheat at 375°F for 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 strip lemon peel (just the yellow part)
- 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) water
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- PREPARE THE PASTRY: Roll the thawed puff pastry sheet tightly from the short side into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Place each round into a lightly greased muffin tin cup. Using your thumbs, press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of each cup to form a thin pastry shell. Place the tin in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the custard.
- INFUSE THE MILK: In a small saucepan, combine the whole milk, cinnamon stick, and strip of lemon peel. Heat over medium just until the milk is warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- THICKEN THE MILK BASE: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with a few tablespoons of the warm milk until smooth and lump-free. Return the flour mixture to the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
- MAKE THE SUGAR SYRUP: In a separate saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil without stirring and cook until the syrup reaches 220°F (104°C) on a thermometer. Remove from heat immediately.
- COMBINE SYRUP AND MILK MIXTURE: While whisking continuously, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the thickened milk mixture. Continue to whisk until fully combined. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Let it cool slightly.
- ADD EGG YOLKS: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly add the warm (not hot) custard mixture to the yolks, stirring constantly to avoid curdling. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C), or as high as your oven will go. The high temperature is key for achieving the signature caramelized top and crisp pastry.
- FILL THE TARTS: Remove the chilled muffin tin from the fridge. Pour the custard into each pastry shell, filling each about three-quarters full. Do not overfill to avoid overflow during baking.
- BAKE: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the custard is set and the tops have developed dark caramelized spots. The pastry should be crisp and golden.
- COOL AND SERVE: Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with optional powdered sugar or cinnamon sprinkled on top.
Notes
Press the pastry base very thin with wet thumbs and leave the sides slightly thicker, just above the rim; a thick base stays pale and doughy. Without a thermometer, take the syrup off the heat after a few minutes of boiling while it is still clear and thin, before it turns golden. Let the milk and syrup mixture cool until it feels warm, not hot, before adding it to the yolks, or they will curdle. Fill the shells only three quarters full, because the custard puffs as it bakes. If your oven tops out below 500°F, bake on the top rack a few minutes longer until the tops have dark spots. The custard can be made 1 day ahead and kept in the fridge. Tarts are best the day they are baked; store leftovers airtight in the fridge up to 2 days and reheat at 375°F for about 5 minutes. Avoid the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 181Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 110mgSodium 52mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 7g
