I just love Portuguese Egg Tart. I went to university in Zhuhai, which is on the border with Macau. When I was able to visit Macau, I walked immediately to “Cookie Street” and bought beautifully baked and luscious Portuguese Egg Tarts (Pastel de Nata). These popular treats are a real delight. In Macau you can smell their vanilla fragrance along the narrow streets and wide squares of the city. While many gamblers were seeking gold in the world-famous casinos there, I sought gold in the beauty and flavor of Portuguese tarts.
These cute and richly-satisfying Pastel de Nata bring back my memories in Macau and Guangdong Province. The busy streets, the crowd, the mix of Eastern and Western culture, the history of Western colonization, and the ornamental religious architecture. To bring back those joyful memories in the strongest way, I recreate the tarts with a simple recipe! These Portuguese Egg Tarts have a crispy crust made from puff pastry and a creamy and sweet egg custard inside! I also just love the way they give both a bakery shop and a homemade rustic look at the same time!
Sugar Syrup
Sugar Syrup is the key to the taste of the egg custard. It is made by simmering together Water, Sugar, Cinnamon Stick, and Lemon Peels. The Cinnamon and the Lemon Peels provide unique flavors, which is also called by the traditional Pastel de Nata recipe.
Tart Filling
In this recipe, I use 6 Egg Yolks and Sweet Whole Milk. Some recipes call for Whipping Cream, but I find the texture too thick after baking. I prefer a lighter and slightly creamy texture. Some recipes also ask for All-purpose flour, but I prefer Cornstarch for a light, tangy and creamy custard! Same technique applies to my Silky Chocolate Pudding with Rum Explosion recipe!
Here are the Ingredients:
Here is the Recipe:
Portuguese Egg Tart Delight
Ingredients
Tart Crust
- 1 sheet of Puff Pastry
Tart Filling
- 100 g Granulated Sugar
- 75 ml Water
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- Peel from 1 Lemon
- 6 Egg Yolks
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 350 ml / 1 1/2 cups Sweet Whole Milk
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste / Extract
Instructions
Prepare the Tart Crust
- Butter the Muffin Tin.
- Take the Puff Pastry out of the fridge directly. Remove from package and fold the Puff Pastry into a long roll shape. Cut the pastry into 12 equal pieces.
- Place each piece into the Muffin Tin. Use your thumb and fingertips to spread the pastry and fit the size of each tin.
- Prick the bottom of each tart dough. Refrigerate the Pie Crust dough for at least 30 minutes while preparing the Tart Filling.
Prepare the Tart Filling
- First prepare the Sugar Syrup. On medium heat, in a saucepan, heat up the Water and Sugar until the Sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add in Lemon Peels and the Cinnamon Stick. Simmer on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Sift the Sugar Syrup (take out the Lemon Peels and the Cinnamon Stick) into another bowl. Set aside and let cool.
- In a glass bowl, whisk together the Cornstarch, Salt, and 1/3 of Sweet Whole Milk.
- Add the rest of the Milk into a saucepan on medium heat. When the Milk is about to boil at the edges, add in the Cornstarch mixture. Whisk constantly until you have a slightly thickened texture. It will take 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes. Then add in the Sugar Syrup and Vanilla Paste. Combine well.
- In another bowl, use a ladle to add the warm milk mixture slowly into the Egg Yolks. Quickly whisk them together to avoid the yolks scrambling. Whisk until the texture is smooth.
- Then pour the mixture into the pot and mix well together.
- Use a strainer to strain the tart filling into a measuring cup. Set aside.
- Take the Tart Crust out from the fridge. Add in the filling up to about 90% close to the top of each tart.
Bake the Egg Tarts
- Bake the Egg Tarts in a preheated oven at 200 C (392 F) for 10 minutes. Then lower the heat to 180 C (356 F) and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
- Let the Egg Tarts cool down on a rack before removing from the Muffin Tin.
- Serve while warm.
Video
Notes
- It’s important to keep the Puff Pastry cold before baking.
- You can refrigerate the leftover Egg Tarts in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Aren’t these Egg Tarts real beauties? They are flavorful in their creamy, rich, and sweet taste! They are easy to hold and fun to eat. Each mouthful reminds me of the joyful memories in Macau.
I hope you enjoy making this Portuguese Egg Tart Delight! They are easy to make and seductive to serve. Romantic Macau!
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Dansk