Pastel de Nata Recipe (Portuguese Custard Tarts Made Easy at Home) Recipe
Pastel de Nata are traditional Portuguese custard tarts known for their flaky, golden puff pastry shells filled with creamy, sweet custard and topped with caramelized blisters. This easy homemade recipe uses ready-made puff pastry and a custard made from milk, cream, sugar syrup, and egg yolks, baked at high heat to achieve the signature texture and flavor of these beloved treats.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 tarts
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
Custard
- 1⅓ cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 strip lemon peel or ½ teaspoon zest
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- Pinch of salt
Optional for Serving
- Powdered sugar
- Cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Prep the pastry: Preheat your oven to its highest setting, around 480°F (250°C). Unroll the puff pastry sheet and cut it into 12 equal pieces. Press each piece into a muffin tin, covering the bottom and sides evenly. Chill the pastry shells in the fridge while preparing the custard.
- Make the syrup: Combine sugar, water, lemon peel, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and cook 3–4 minutes until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. Remove from heat and let infuse.
- Create the custard base: In another saucepan, whisk flour, salt, and ¼ cup milk until smooth. Add remaining milk and cream while whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat 3–5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Combine everything: Remove lemon peel and cinnamon stick from syrup. Gradually whisk syrup into the warm milk mixture. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve for a silky texture.
- Fill and bake: Fill chilled pastry shells about three-quarters full with custard. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the tops are blistered and golden brown, custard slightly jiggles in the center.
- Cool and dust: Let tarts cool in pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and cinnamon if desired before serving.
Notes
- Use high oven heat to get the classic caramelized top and crisp edges.
- Store-bought puff pastry saves time; homemade puff pastry yields best texture but requires more effort.
- Custard should be fluid before baking to set properly in the oven.
- Lemon peel can be swapped for orange zest or a touch of nutmeg for flavor variations.
- Chilling the muffin tin with pastry shells before baking helps prevent shrinking.
- Serve warm, ideally within a few hours, for best texture and flavor.
