Pastel de nata: crunchy and creamy, I learned it from Portuguese

Find out how to prepare an authentic pastel de nata recipe with tips for having fresh, crunchy and creamy pastries

Pastel de nata, traditional Portuguese dessert, known for its crunchy puff pastry and creamy custard filling

Recipe for 2 people.

Classic (no restrictions), Vegetarian

Preparation: 01:10

Interval: 00:00

TOOLS

6 small baking tray(s) or ramekin(s) (or more), 2 baking tray(s), 1 baking tray(s), 1 spatula(s), 2 sieve(s), 1 for dusting, 3 bowl(s) (, 1 is small)

EQUIPMENT

conventional

METERS

cup = 240 ml, spoon = 15 ml, teaspoon = 10 ml, teaspoon = 5 ml

Puff pastry ingredients

– 250 g of ready-made and frozen laminated puff pastry

CREAM CREAM Ingredients:

– 125 ml of milk

– 125 g of sugar

-50 ml of water

– 1/2 unit of raw cinnamon

– 1/2 unit of lemon (only the peel, without the white part)

– 3 units of eggs (yolks only)

Ingredients TO COMPLETE:

-powdered sugar to taste

– ground cinnamon to taste

Ingredients FOR GREATING:

– unsalted butter to taste

Ingredients TO COMPLETE:

-powdered sugar to taste (optional)

– ground cinnamon to taste (optional)

PREPARATION:

1. Separate the utensils and ingredients for the recipe. This recipe yields approximately 6 units in medium cake pans for every 2 servings.
2. Preheat the oven to 250ºC.
3. To be safe, grease the molds with a little butter.
4. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer, leave it in the fridge at room temperature to speed up the process (the dough must be cold to use, but still malleable).
5. Sift the egg yolks into a bowl, set aside.
6. Remove the lemon peel and eliminate the white part.
7. Roll out the puff pastry with a rolling pin, cut it into sizes larger than the molds – considering the edges, and line the cream puff moulds, cutting the excess and giving a delicate finish to the sides.

PREPARATION:

Custard tarts – preparation of the custard:

1. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat until it forms a syrupy consistency.
2. In another saucepan, heat the milk with the raw cinnamon and lemon zest.
3. Mix the sugar syrup with the heated milk, removing the cinnamon and lemon zest.
4. Let the mixture cool and sieve it.
5. Then add the sieved egg yolks.
6. Mix well and fill the molds up to ¾ with this cream.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 250ºC for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the cream swells and the surface is slightly burnt and golden and the dough is crunchy.
8. Remove the pastries from the oven and let them cool.
9. Unmold carefully.

FINALIZATION AND ASSEMBLY:

1. Mix the icing sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl (optional).
2. Serve the custard tart(s) sprinkled with a little icing sugar and cinnamon, if you like.
3. For storage, observe the following tips:

• Immediate consumption: Pastéis de nata are excellent consumed on the same day as they are prepared, preferably still warm. If they are consumed on the same day, there is no need to store them in the refrigerator.

• Refrigeration: If you need to store the custard tarts for longer, place them in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, after the first two days the dough may lose some of its crunchiness.

• Heating: Before serving, heat the pastries in a preheated oven at 200°C for 5-8 minutes. This helps restore the crispness of the puff pastry and warm the filling.

• Freezing: To freeze, place the pastries on a baking tray and place in the freezer for about 2 hours. Then transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. To defrost them, leave them in the refrigerator and heat them in the oven at 200°C for a few minutes before serving. Keep in mind that the dough may not be as crispy as fresh dough.

• More tips: If you choose to make the custard tarts in smaller batches to eat fresh, this can ensure the best quality. Also, keep the dough and cream well refrigerated until ready to use for best results.

Do you want to make this recipe? Access the shopping list, HERE.

To see this recipe for 2, 6, 8 people, Click here.

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Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.