The pastel de nata is a beloved Portuguese pastry, often considered a national treasure. This traditional Portuguese pastry is characterised by its flaky, crispy crust filled with a rich, creamy custard. These tarts are typically enjoyed with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder on top.
History
The pastel de nata traces its origins back to the 18th century when Catholic monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon created it. The monks used leftover egg yolks from starching their clothes to make the custard. After the monastery closed in 1834, the recipe was sold to a sugar refinery, which eventually became the famous bakery Pastéis de Belém, where the original recipe is still closely guarded.
Ingredientes – 20 Unidades | Ingredients – 20 Units
- 500g Massa folhada (Puff pastry)
- 2 ovos + 10 gemas (2 Eggs + 10 Egg yolks)
- 500g de Açúcar (Sugar)
- 1L de Leite (Milk)
- 100g de Farinha (flour)
- 2 cascas de limão (2 Lemon peels)
- 2 Paus de Canela (2 Cinnamon sticks)
Preparação | Preparation
1 – Pré-aqueça o forno a 240 ºC. (Preheat the oven to 240 ºC.)
2 – Num tacho, coloque o leite, as cascas de limão e os paus de canela. (Put the milk, lemon zest and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan.)
3 – Put the milk, lemon zest and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. (Bring to the boil and turn off.)
4 – Numa taça, misture o açúcar com a farinha. (Mix the sugar with the flour in a bowl.)
5 – Acrescente a mistura ao leite, ainda bem quente, mexendo bem com varas. (Add the mixture to the very hot milk, stirring well with a whisk.)
6 – Retire as cascas de limão e os paus de canela e deixe arrefecer durante 10 minutos. (Remove the lemon zest and cinnamon sticks and leave to cool for 10 minutes.)
7 – Junte os ovos inteiros e as gemas. Mexa com as varas até formar um creme homogéneo. Leve ao lume novamente, mexendo sempre até engrossar. (Add the whole eggs and yolks. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Bring to the boil again, stirring constantly until it thickens.)
8 – Enrole a massa folhada formando um cilindro e corte em rodelas de 3 cm cada. (Roll the puff pastry into a cylinder and cut into slices of 3 cm each.)
9 – Com a ajuda dos polegares humedecidos, forre pequenas formas metálicas espalhando bem a massa até ao rebordo. (Using your wet thumbs, line small metal molds, spreading the pastry well to the edge.)
10 – Deite o recheio nas formas e leve ao forno durante 15 minutos, ou até dourarem. Sirva ainda quente. Sugestão: polvilhe com canela. (Pour the filling into the tins and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve while still hot. Suggestion: sprinkle with cinnamon.)
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