Portuguese Tarts

A Traditional Portuguese Dessert, beautifully crisp pastry surrounds a light and creamy custard filling.

Portuguese Tarts are also known as Pasteis de Nata or Natas.

Ingredients

• 3 x Egg Yolks Large
• 2 x Eggs Whole Large
• 100g Sugar and Crumbs Natural Flavoured Icing Sugar (your Choice)
• 65g Granulated Sugar
• 75ml Whole Milk
• 150ml Double or Extra Thick Cream
• 1 x Pack Puff Pastry
• 30g Butter for Pastry (must be very soft)
• 10g Butter for greasing tins

Method

First you need to make the custard

In a clean mixing bowl add the eggs, whisk on full speed until eggs have separated and combined again

Next add the sugar and whisk in well

Add the milk and cream and whisk until light and airy for a few minutes

Transfer to a jug and then cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for one hour

Pastry

Take the block of pastry and roll out into a rectangle shape, on a floured surface.

Take 15g of the butter and use a palette knife to spread over 2/3 of the pastry evenly, the pastry should be long ways across in front of you.

Fold over the unbuttered piece onto the next third and then fold the last 1/3 back over this. Roll out the dough back into a rectangle and repeat this step.

Lastly roll into a rectangle one more time and then with the narrowist bit in front of you roll the dough up tightly to the end. Cut the dough in half, then each half into 2 pieces then each of those for pieces into 3.

Butter the muffin tin really well with butter and then turning each of the pastry pieces on to the flat edge and place one piece into each whole, using a wet thumb and finger press each piece into the sides of the tin until its all covered and up the sides, making sure the bottom is not too thin.

Prick each one with a fork to stop the pastry rising too much, cover with foil then place in the fridge for 15 mins to help the pastry get chilled again. Preheat the oven to 200c fan.

When ready remove the foil and then divide up the custard between each pastry case almost to the top but not quite to avoid overfill.

Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until risen and the top has caramelised and the pastry has gone golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes to cool a little. Using a palette knife score around each tart to lift it and then serve warm.

Keep in the fridge once fully cool and warm in the oven if desired for a few minutes.