Nothing says Portugal quite like a Portuguese custard tart: wobbly egg custard encased in layers of buttery pastry, which manages to be both crunchy and soft at the same time. Perhaps the most famous come from a shop in the Belem district of Lisbon, where they are said to have been invented by a former monk in 1837. Now, the Pasties de Belem shop sells thousands every day. While they are delicious, I prefer those sold at Manteigaria, a shop in the Chiado area – when a fresh batch is taken from the oven, they ring a bell so that hungry passers-by can rush in and grab a box while they are still warm.
Every pastry shop keeps their recipe a secret, so it’s impossible to know exactly what makes them so special. After a lot of (not exactly onerous) research and testing, I hope this recipe does the original pastel de nata justice.
With many recipes, it is perfectly okay to play a bit fast and loose with the ingredients and method, but when it comes to patisserie, and particularly for these little beauties, it really pays to follow the instructions.
It is totally acceptable to use ready-made puff pastry if you prefer, but do opt for all-butter ready-rolled puff. You won’t get quite such authentic results, as pasteis de nata are made with a laminated dough, which is not exactly the same as puff pastry, but they will still be very good. Making laminated dough, as in the recipe below, is tricky and can require a bit of practice, but I encourage you to give it a go.
Avoid using a non-stick tart tin, as the high temperatures may break down the non-stick coating, which is not good for it or for you.