Portuguese Egg Tart

5 from 1 vote

Learn how to make Portuguese Egg Tart or Pastel de Nata, a popular dessert with layers of crispy flakes and soft egg custart inside!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Portugal

Servings: pcs

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Claudia

Let the puff pastry set in the room temperature for 10-15 minutes until soft enough to roll. Roll flat using a rolling pin. Sprinkle some flour to make it easier to handle. Roll it up. Cut the rolled sheet into 10 equal pieces
Place the sliced rolled sheet standing up, press it flat using your hand. Roll flat until it is wide enough to cover the base of the muffin pan or aluminium tin. Poke the base with a fork. Set aside. Finish the rest of the dough.
Pour milk, whipping cream, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, condensed milk, cornstarch, and salt into a sauce pan. Whisk until all the ingredients blend well. Put on the stove on medium heat. Keep stirring with a spatula. Do not leave it unattended. When you see the batter starts to thicken, you can turn off the stove. Strain to get a smoother texture.
Pour into each mold around 0.5 cm below the tip of the pastry sheet. Bake in a preheated oven 225°C for 30-35 minutes until the custard is a bit scorched on top and the pastry sheet turns to golden brown. Take out from the oven and let it cool. Enjoy!

Let the puff pastry soften slightly before rolling. Leave it at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes, just until it is pliable enough to roll without cracking. Don’t let it become too warm or sticky.
Roll the pastry evenly. An even thickness helps the tart shells bake at the same rate and gives you crisp, flaky layers.
Prick the bottom of the pastry shells lightly with a fork. This helps prevent the pastry from puffing up too much underneath the custard.
Strain the custard filling before pouring it into the shells. This removes any bits of cooked egg or undissolved ingredients and gives the filling a smoother texture.
Do not overfill the tart shells. Leave a little space at the top so the custard can expand slightly as it bakes without spilling over.
Bake until the tops are well browned in spots. Those dark caramelized patches are one of the signature features of Portuguese-style egg tarts.
Serve them slightly warm for the best texture. The pastry is crispest and the custard is soft and creamy shortly after baking.