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Brief Overview
There is something irresistible about a warm Pastel de Nata. With its flaky pastry shell and rich custard filling, this little tart has won hearts well beyond Portugal. It is the kind of pastry that draws you in with its golden top and keeps you coming back with its balanced sweetness.
Found in cafés across Lisbon and beyond, Pastéis de Nata are often enjoyed with a bica, the local espresso. They might be small, but their flavour is far from modest. Every bite offers a mix of textures and a depth that lingers in the memory.
Whether eaten warm from the bakery or at room temperature hours later, the Pastel de Nata rarely disappoints. It is a pastry of few ingredients and many layers, offering something both simple and luxurious in every mouthful.
What Is Pastel de Nata?
Pastel de Nata is a traditional Portuguese tart filled with creamy egg custard, baked in a crisp, flaky shell until its top is blistered and caramelised. It is typically served warm, sometimes dusted with cinnamon or icing sugar.
The tart is small enough to eat in two or three bites, but the flavours are concentrated. The contrast between the crunchy pastry and the soft, silky custard is what makes it so satisfying. It is both rich and light at the same time.
While it may look like other custard tarts at first glance, Pastel de Nata has a character of its own. The custard is eggy and fragrant rather than overly sweet, and the pastry is crisp from the first crackle to the last crumb.
Ingredients and Taste
The filling is made from egg yolks, sugar, milk, and cream, often infused with lemon peel or cinnamon. The mixture is cooked gently before being poured into pastry shells and baked at a high temperature to achieve its signature scorched top.
The pastry is no ordinary shortcrust. It is a laminated dough, similar to puff pastry, which creates delicate layers that shatter slightly when bitten into. Butter plays a big role in the texture and richness of the finished tart.
The taste is smooth and balanced. The custard is creamy without being heavy, sweet but not cloying. The scorched top adds a hint of bitterness that cuts through the richness. When paired with coffee, it becomes an experience rather than just a snack.
A Taste of History
The origins of Pastel de Nata trace back to the early 19th century. Monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, just outside Lisbon, created the recipe using leftover egg yolks from wine and laundry starching, both of which required egg whites.
When the monastery closed following the liberal reforms, the monks sold the recipe to a local sugar refinery, which later opened the famous Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém in 1837. That bakery still guards the original recipe closely today.
Though many bakeries now produce their own versions, Pastel de Nata remains a national icon. It reflects Portugal’s monastic history, its love of sweet things, and its ability to turn humble ingredients into something extraordinary.
In Portugal, no visit feels complete without tasting one fresh from the oven. Outside the country, it carries the warmth and tradition of its origins. With every bite, you taste not just custard and pastry, but centuries of culinary devotion.
How to Make Pastel de Nata (Custard Tarts)
Pastel de Nata is Portugal’s most iconic pastry, a crisp, flaky tart filled with silky egg custard and caramelised on top from high heat baking. With roots in Lisbon’s monasteries, this treat offers a rich blend of simplicity and elegance. Expect buttery pastry with a warm, sweet custard that holds its shape but melts on the tongue. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry (preferably all butter, thawed if frozen)
For the custard filling
- 250 ml whole milk
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 125 ml water
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 strip lemon peel (no pith)
For serving
- Ground cinnamon (optional)
- Icing sugar (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven
To begin, preheat your oven to 250°C or its highest setting. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven. High heat is essential for achieving the signature caramelised tops. Move to preparing the sugar syrup.
Step 2: Make the sugar syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel. Bring to a boil without stirring. Let it bubble for about 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and allow it to infuse while cooling slightly.
Step 3: Prepare the milk mixture
In another saucepan, whisk the flour with a splash of milk to form a smooth paste. Slowly add the remaining milk and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
Step 4: Combine syrup and milk base
Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the syrup. Slowly whisk the warm syrup into the milk mixture. Let it cool to lukewarm before adding egg yolks. Proceed to enrich with eggs.
Step 5: Add the egg yolks
Whisk the egg yolks into the cooled mixture until smooth and well combined. Strain through a fine sieve to ensure a silky texture. Set aside the custard while you prepare the tart shells.
Step 6: Shape the pastry
Unroll the puff pastry and roll it tightly into a log. Cut into 12 even rounds. Press each round into a greased muffin tin cup, using your thumb to push and stretch the dough to the top edge. Move to filling.
Step 7: Fill the tarts
Fill each pastry shell about three quarters full with the custard. Do not overfill, as the custard will puff slightly during baking. Prepare to bake immediately.
Step 8: Bake the tarts
Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are blistered and golden brown. Watch closely near the end to prevent burning. Remove and cool slightly before serving.
Final Step: Serve warm
Serve Pastéis de Nata warm, dusted with ground cinnamon or icing sugar if desired. Presentation tip: Pair with a bica (Portuguese espresso) for an authentic café style experience.
Variations and Substitutions
- Puff pastry: Homemade is ideal, but a good quality all butter store-bought version works well.
- Flour: Cornflour can be used for a smoother custard texture if plain flour is unavailable.
- Cinnamon stick: Substitute with a pinch of ground cinnamon added after cooking the syrup.
- Lemon peel: Use orange peel for a different citrus note if lemon is not to taste.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Pastel de Nata
- Use the hottest oven setting possible to create the signature caramelised top.
- Chill the pastry rounds for 10 minutes before shaping to make handling easier.
- Avoid stirring the sugar syrup while boiling to prevent crystallisation.
- Strain the custard before pouring to ensure a smooth, creamy texture.
- Let the tarts cool slightly before serving for the custard to set properly.
Portuguese Pastel de Nata (Custard Tarts)
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry preferably all butter, thawed if frozen
For the custard filling
- 250 ml whole milk
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 125 ml water
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 strip lemon peel no pith
For serving
- Ground cinnamon optional
- Icing sugar optional
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 250°C or its highest setting. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven. High heat is essential for achieving the signature caramelised tops. Move to preparing the sugar syrup.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel. Bring to a boil without stirring. Let it bubble for about 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and allow it to infuse while cooling slightly.
- In another saucepan, whisk the flour with a splash of milk to form a smooth paste. Slowly add the remaining milk and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the syrup. Slowly whisk the warm syrup into the milk mixture. Let it cool to lukewarm before adding egg yolks. Proceed to enrich with eggs.
- Whisk the egg yolks into the cooled mixture until smooth and well combined. Strain through a fine sieve to ensure a silky texture. Set aside the custard while you prepare the tart shells.
- Unroll the puff pastry and roll it tightly into a log. Cut into 12 even rounds. Press each round into a greased muffin tin cup, using your thumb to push and stretch the dough to the top edge. Move to filling.
- Fill each pastry shell about three quarters full with the custard. Do not overfill, as the custard will puff slightly during baking. Prepare to bake immediately.
- Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are blistered and golden brown. Watch closely near the end to prevent burning. Remove and cool slightly before serving.
- Serve Pastéis de Nata warm, dusted with ground cinnamon or icing sugar if desired. Presentation tip: Pair with a bica (Portuguese espresso) for an authentic café style experience.
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