Pastéis de Nata: Portuguese Custard Tartlets

Pastéis de Nata: Portuguese Custard Tartlets

Pastéis de nata are Lisbon's miniature tartlets with flaky pastry and a custard filling scorched by the oven's heat. They were invented by monks of the Jerónimos Monastery in the 18th century and have since conquered the world.

History of the dish

Monks of the Belém monastery began selling these tartlets in 1837 through a neighbouring bakery. The recipe remains a trade secret to this day. 'Pastéis de Belém' — the original brand — produces more than 20,000 per day.

Key ingredients

Puff pastry (shop-bought or homemade): rolled thin and rolled into a log. Custard filling (natas): milk, egg yolks, sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon zest, vanilla.

How to cook at home

Bake at the maximum oven temperature (250–275°C) for 10–12 minutes: only then will the dark patches appear on the custard. Before serving, dust with icing sugar and cinnamon.