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Portuguese Puff Pastry Egg Tarts (Easy Pastel de Nata)

Flaky, buttery puff pastry shells filled with a silky vanilla custard and baked until golden with those iconic slightly charred tops. A simple, irresistible take on the classic Portuguese pastel de nata.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 tarts
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Portuguese
Calories: 265
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pastry:
  • 320 g (11 oz) puff pastry, store-bought or homemade sourdough puff pastry (see recipe notes), thawed if frozen
For the custard:
  • 200 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) heavy cream
  • 150 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) whole milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 90 g (7 tbsp) cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Equipment

  • Standard 12 cup muffin tin
  • Rolling Pin
  • Medium saucepan

Method
 

  1. Remove puff pastry from the fridge. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge.
  2. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the pastry into a rectangle. The shorter side should be about 30 cm (12 inches).
  3. Starting from one shorter side, roll the pastry tightly into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, combine heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring, until warm and just starting to steam. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
  5. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale and smooth.
  6. Temper the eggs: while whisking constantly, pour the warm cream mixture slowly into the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream. Set custard aside.
  7. Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F).
  8. Remove the pastry log from the fridge and cut into 12 equal rounds, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) each. Take each round and stand it flat on your work surface.
  9. Press each round into a muffin cup with your thumbs, working the pastry up the sides to form a shell. Freeze the tin for 10 minutes.
  10. Remove the tin from the freezer and fill each shell about two thirds full with custard.
  11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until the pastry is golden and the custard has dark spots on top. For deeper charring, use the broiler/grill for the last 3 to 5 minutes but watch closely.
  12. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

  • Puff pastry: For homemade, use my sourdough puff pastry recipe (can be made with or without sourdough starter).
  • Vanilla: Vanilla bean powder leaves visible black specks in the custard, this is completely normal. It's the vanilla beans and it's delicious.
  • Cornstarch: Optional but recommended to keep the custard set and the pastry crispy for longer.
  • Cold pastry is key: At any point your pastry feels warm or greasy, pop it back in the fridge before continuing.
  • Storage: Fridge up to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Freezing: Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 180°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes.
 
Per tart (approximate):
Calories: ~265 kcal | Carbohydrates: ~22g | Protein: ~3.5g | Fat: ~18g | Saturated Fat: ~11g | Fiber: ~0.4g | Sugar: ~9g | Sodium: ~159mg