Portuguese Egg Tarts (Pastéis de Nata)
198kcal
Ingredients
Main Dough
- 50 g Red Fife Wheat Flour (or whole wheat flour)
- 250 g Bread Flour
- 5 g Salt
- 150 g Cold water
- 15 g Vinegar
- 300 g Cold unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch squares)
Custard Filling
- 2 Full eggs
- 2 Egg yolks
- 100 g Sugar
- 25 g Cornstarch
- 200 g Heavy whipping cream
- 150 g Milk
- 3 g Vanilla Extract
- Ground cinnamon Optional, for dusting
Equipment
- Portuguese Egg Tart Molds (or mini muffin molds)
- Fine-Mesh Sieve (Crucial for a smooth custard texture)
Method
Preparing the Laminated Dough
- Combine the red fife flour, bread flour, and salt in your mixer bowl. Add the cold water and vinegar. Knead with a dough hook for 3–5 minutes until it gathers into a cohesive ball. (If it remains too dry, add a tiny splash of extra water).
- Toss the cold, cubed butter into the bowl. Knead with the dough hook for an additional 2–3 minutes just until an uneven ball forms. The large chunks of butter must remain whole and clearly visible.
- Wrap the rough dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Lightly dust your workspace with flour. Roll the chilled dough out into an 8×20 inch (20×50 cm) rectangle. Fold it like a letter (a single three-layer fold). Repeat this rolling and folding process two more times to create a 12×31 inch (30×80 cm) rectangle each time. Wrap and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Perform 3 more rounds of rolling and letter-folding (bringing the total number of folds to 6). Chill the finished pastry block in the fridge for 1 hour (or up to 48 hours).
- Roll the rested dough out into a final 12×20 inch (30×50 cm) rectangle, roughly 5mm thick. Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll it up tightly into a dense log. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight) until very firm.
Lining the Molds
- Trim the ends of your firm pastry log so they are even. Slice the log cleanly into 24 to 30 equal half-inch sections.
- Place a sliced section into a tart mold. Use your thumb to press down gently into the center of the spiral while twisting the pastry between your fingers to stretch and press it up the sides of the mold. Repeat for all slices. Chill the lined molds for 10 minutes to set.
Creating the Filling & Baking
- Preheat your oven to a very hot 500°F (260°C).
- In a mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and free of lumps.
- In a separate saucepan, combine the heavy whipping cream and milk. Heat over medium heat just until small bubbles begin to simmer around the edges.
- Slowly stream the hot dairy into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
- Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or pitcher to guarantee a flawless, velvety texture.
- Fill each chilled pastry shell with the egg custard. Sprinkle with a touch of ground cinnamon if desired. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for approximately 18 minutes, or until the pastry edges are deeply golden and the custard tops show beautiful, dark caramelized spots. Let cool completely before removing from the molds.
Nutrition
Calories198kcalCarbohydrates15gProtein3gFat14gSaturated Fat9gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat4gTrans Fat0.4gCholesterol67mgSodium27mgPotassium43mgFiber0.3gSugar5gVitamin A487IUVitamin C0.1mgCalcium23mgIron0.3mg
Notes
- Baking Without a Stand Mixer / Dough Hook: If your mixer does not have a dough hook attachment, you can easily pull the dough together by hand. Use a pastry blender or a sturdy wooden spoon to combine the flours, water, and vinegar until a ball forms. When adding the cold butter cubes, use your hands or a pastry cutter to quickly distribute them throughout the dough—be careful not to melt the fat. It should remain in large, distinct chunks before you begin rolling.
- Cornstarch vs. Cornflour Naming: For international readers, please note that the "cornstarch" listed in this recipe is exactly the same product sold as "cornflour" in the UK, Australia, and parts of Europe. It is the fine white starch powder derived from the kernel endosperm, used here to give the custard its classic structural set. Do not substitute it with yellow cornmeal flour.
- Advance Prep for the Custard: The custard filling can easily be prepared a full day in advance and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. If you choose to do this, make sure to give it a very vigorous whisk right before pouring it into your pastry shells to break up any settling and ensure a completely smooth texture.
- Flour Substitutions: The addition of 50g of Red Fife wheat flour adds a beautiful, rich flavor to the pastry. If you cannot find Red Fife, it can be replaced with an equal weight of standard whole wheat flour, spelt flour, or simply more bread flour if you prefer a classic, all-white pastry base.