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Flaky Homemade Pastel de Nata Recipe Easy Portuguese Custard Tarts

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This recipe delivers authentic Portuguese Pastel de Nata with perfectly flaky puff pastry shells and creamy, caramelized custard filling. Easy to make with simple ingredients, it’s a delightful treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry (about 8 oz/225 g), thawed
  • Flour for dusting (all-purpose or gluten-free if needed)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • A pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

  1. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet into a rectangle roughly 12 x 10 inches (30 x 25 cm). Cut the pastry into 12 equal squares.
  2. Gently press each puff pastry square into the muffin tin cups, making sure it fits snugly and comes up the sides. Place the tin in the fridge while you make the custard.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the milk until smooth.
  4. In a saucepan, combine the remaining milk and sugar. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling (about 5 minutes).
  5. Slowly whisk the milk-flour mixture into the hot milk, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly (2-3 minutes).
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly. Gradually add a few spoonfuls of the warm milk mixture to the yolks while whisking to prevent scrambling.
  7. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat.
  8. Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and a pinch of cinnamon. Let the filling cool slightly.
  9. Spoon the custard evenly into each pastry shell, filling almost to the top but leaving room for the custard to bubble up during baking.
  10. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Bake the tarts for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is deep golden and the custard has characteristic dark spots.
  11. Remove from oven and let the tarts cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Notes

Keep puff pastry cold until just before use to maintain flakiness. Rotate baking tray halfway through baking for even caramelization. Avoid overfilling pastry cups to prevent spilling. Custard firms up as it cools. For dairy-free version, substitute milk with almond or oat milk and adjust custard texture accordingly.

Nutrition

Keywords: Pastel de Nata, Portuguese custard tarts, flaky pastry, custard tart, easy dessert, homemade tarts

Find it online: https://tastypierecipes.com/flaky-homemade-pastel-de-nata-recipe-easy-portuguese-custard-tarts/