Now that I’ve graduated, now that I have my diploma in hand and I’m in the workplace, I can admit to the world what I’ve already admitted to most of my friends. I used my final presentation for Portuguese as an excuse to bake.
I’m guilty, I admit it, but in my defense, I learned a thing or two about lusophone culture, more specifically Portuguese culture, which is part of my heritage, and my class loved them. In fact, Dona Lyris, with all her many years of teaching, said it was the first time anyone had ever made something for one of her classes. Plus, she and the rest of my classmates were practically fighting each other for the couple extra pastéis we had. I’d call that a win.
But before I share the recipe, a bit of what I learned in my research of Pastéis de Nata. The Portuguese version of a custard tart, these tarts have become popular in many of the countries the Portuguese colonized and some it didn’t, like China. Additionally, the tarts are at the center of a controversy which is still debated in Portugal today, especially in Lisbon, the supposed birthplace of the tiny treats.
However, the controversy lies in the fact that the name Pastéis de Belém has been copyrighted along with the monks original recipe. The recipe is so carefully guarded that there is an Oficina do Segredo or Office of the Secret, devoted to protecting the recipe, ensuring that no more than 5 people in the world know the recipe. There was even a study done to reverse engineer the recipe and it was said that potato flakes were used in the pastéis de Belém. But, as the study was going to be published, it was mysteriously ended and no further attempts to discover the original recipe have been published. In addition, no other person who makes Pastéis de Nata is allowed to call them Pastéis de Belém and there are those who claim the two are entirely different from the pastry to the filling itself. I’m not sure if this is true, but having tried both kinds on my two marvelous trips to Lisbon last year, I can tell you that the Pastéis de Belém are truly incredible. With a pastry which is slightly caramelized on the bottom and just browned on top, I could have eaten ten in one sitting.
One thing we did note, other than the slightly caramelized pastry bottom, was the very eggy custard of the Pastéis de Belém. For this recipe, for instance, I would probably add 2 or 3 more egg yolks to it the next time I make them so they have that more eggy consistency. Also, I would get special tins to make them in. Making them in a muffin tin just didn’t work well, the edges of the tarts started folding over and they ended up looking nothing like the pictures you'll find online of the Pastéis de Belem. If this does happen to you, however, don’t worry about it, they’ll still taste amazing and go especially well with the thick hot chocolate which the Spanish and the Portuguese like to make.
Pasteis de Nata or Portuguese Custard Tarts (adapted from Leite’s Culinaria)
Puff pastry*
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk, divided
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks, whisked (I would recommend adding 2-4 extra egg yolks)
Powdered sugar
Cinnamon
*Puff pastry can be bought at most larger grocery stores or you can make it yourself using the Leite's Culinaria recipe
Directions:
1) In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and 1/4 cup of the milk until smooth. Set aside.
2) Bring the sugar, cinnamon, and water to a boil in a small saucepan and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 220°F (100°C). Do not stir.
3) Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, scald the remaining 1 cup milk. Whisk the hot milk into the flour mixture.
4) Remove the cinnamon stick then pour the sugar syrup in a thin stream into the hot milk-and-flour mixture, whisking briskly. Add the vanilla and stir for a minute until very warm but not hot.
5) Whisk in the yolks, strain the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
6) Heat the oven to 550°F (290°C). This may seem hot, but the actual pastéis de Belem are rumored to be cooked at an even high temperature in a convection oven.
7) Remove the puffed pastry from the refrigerator and roll it back and forth on a lightly floured surface until it’s quite thin. Then cut the pastry into long strips about 1 inch in width. Roll each strip until you have a piece which is 3/4 inch in diameter. Cut and continue until you have enough pieces of dough to fill a 12-cup mini-muffin pan (2-by-5/8-inch size).
8) Place a piece spiral side down in each well of the nonstick muffin pan. Allow the dough pieces to soften several minutes until pliable.
9) Have a small cup of water nearby. If needed, dip your thumbs into the water, then straight down into the middle of the dough spiral. Flatten it against the bottom of the cup to a thickness of about 1/8 inch, then smooth the dough up the sides and create a raised lip about 1/8 inch above the pan. The pastry sides should be thinner than the bottom.
10) Fill each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full with the slightly warm custard, erring on the side of less custard so they don't overflow
11) Bake the pastéis until the edges of the dough are frilled and brown, about 8 to 9 minutes.
12) Remove from the oven and allow the pastéis to cool a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack and cool until just warm.
13) To serve, sprinkle the pasteis generously with powdered sugar and then cinnamon. Repeat with the remaining pastry and custard. If you prefer not to make all the tarts at once, the custard can be refrigerated for up to three days.
