Recreating the fillings of Pastel de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tart) by memory of having one of the good ones in Lisbon from Castro. Although we didn’t have a chance to travel to Belém to sample their famous egg tart, we did get ones from Castro which is in the city centre with great reviews. During my trip there we sampled many different ones, the quality varies drastically, Castro has one of the most memorable ones with its shell being thin and light, and its custard is amazing. Here I am focusing on the custard, making one for the test kitchen. Result? Taste is great, Texture-wise not quite there but close. Next time I will strain the custard twice to get a smoother texture.
Portuguese Tart Egg Custard Fillings
Delicate and creamy custard filling for traditional Portuguese egg tarts, made with a fragrant cinnamon-orange syrup.
Ingredients
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30 g sugar
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40 ml water
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1 piece orange peel
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1 cinnamon stick
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125 ml milk
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10 g flour
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1 egg yolk
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1 whole egg
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Pinch of salt
Equipment
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Saucepan
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Whisk
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Strainer
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Mixing bowl
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Tart casings
Instructions
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In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, orange peel, and cinnamon stick. Boil to create a syrup, then remove the peel and cinnamon.
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In another bowl, mix some of the milk with flour until smooth, then add the remaining milk and stir well.
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Gently heat the milk and flour mixture until slightly thickened.
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Add the prepared syrup (without the peel and cinnamon) to the milk mixture and stir to combine.
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Whisk together the egg yolk and whole egg in a separate bowl.
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Allow the milk mixture to cool slightly before adding the whisked eggs to prevent curdling.
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Strain the mixture to remove lumps.
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Pour the custard mixture into tart casings, ready for baking.
Notes
Makes 6 tarts. Ensure the custard mixture is only warm—not hot—when adding eggs to maintain a smooth texture.
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