These are delicious Portuguese Custard Tarts.
I grew up eating these custards in Macau (a Portuguese colony) so i came in as a tough critique. This was my first time however actually make this, for some reason i though it would be really hard, but i was amazed how easy it was. My whole family loved them, they were gone in several hours. My only suggestion is to use the paper muffin liners. I sprayed half my pan and used the muffin liners for the other half and the greased ones stuck pretty bad, but the paper was great. I also used trader Joes puff pastry and just cut squares for ease... They looked a little different than the authentic ones, but the taste is excellent. I will definitely make again. Oh.. I also used a half tsp of vanilla instead of the vanilla bean.
Read MoreI don't think I've ever rated anything one star before. Really, a failure all around. I used my stoneware muffin pan, cut the rounds of dough & rolled them out 1. the dough never cooked on the bottom, resulting in a doughy blob. 2. We salvaged the custard and it is just okay. Way too sweet, strange texture, too eggy, bland flavor. Would have preferred a pudding-like consistency. Won't make again and I love sweets & pastries!
Read More I grew up eating these custards in Macau (a Portuguese colony) so i came in as a tough critique. This was my first time however actually make this, for some reason i though it would be really hard, but i was amazed how easy it was. My whole family loved them, they were gone in several hours. My only suggestion is to use the paper muffin liners. I sprayed half my pan and used the muffin liners for the other half and the greased ones stuck pretty bad, but the paper was great. I also used trader Joes puff pastry and just cut squares for ease... They looked a little different than the authentic ones, but the taste is excellent. I will definitely make again. Oh.. I also used a half tsp of vanilla instead of the vanilla bean.
Excellent recipe! I used mini muffin cups, the filling was enough for 30, and I used 1 and a half packages of puff pastry. Everyone wanted the recipe. The smaller "pasteis" were just perfect for a sweet table.
mmmmm. THese were soo good. I was doubtful because the recipe looked so easy, but they were gone in 10 minutes. I didn't have a vanilla pod so I used 2 tsp vanilla essence, which was fine. I used the best ever pie crust from this site, and this worked really well. I was tempted to find a pie crust recipe which had sugar in it, but this one is perfect (and soo easy)
This is just like the ones my grandmother would get that were imported on special holidays; I gave her one, and my mom, and and aunt and they loved them! I actually topped them with fresh raspberries and the flavours whent together perfectly! My grandma told me to call her the next time I make them so we can do it together.
Easy to make and yummy too. The sweetness blended very well with the puff pastry.
I had these in Europe and was dying to make them at home. The custard is very delicious and very easy to prepare. The puff pastry was a bit tricky and time-consuming to work with in the muffin cups. I think I will attempt to use another type of pastry that has a bit more of a delicate and flakier texture like of the one's I experienced in Europe. Nonetheless, these custard tarts were yummy and I will make them again, just gotta find that perfect pastry to compliment the custard. Obrigado!
These are just like the Pasteis I get from the bakery down the street.. They are so yummy and easy to make. I love Portuguese food being 100% Portuguese myself.
I don't think I've ever rated anything one star before. Really, a failure all around. I used my stoneware muffin pan, cut the rounds of dough & rolled them out 1. the dough never cooked on the bottom, resulting in a doughy blob. 2. We salvaged the custard and it is just okay. Way too sweet, strange texture, too eggy, bland flavor. Would have preferred a pudding-like consistency. Won't make again and I love sweets & pastries!
very easy to make, one of the best custards I've ever had
Made them last weekend and they were super easy and delicious! I'm Portuguese, lived in Portugal for 28 years so I'm pretty familiar with these pastries and a huge fan!! The only thing I will try to change next time is the puff pastry. I'll try to make it thinner so it looks more like the original. I did add 2 cinnamon sticks and a little fresh squeezed lemon juice to the mixture in the pan - personal preference though! Thanks for sharing the recipe, a keeper!!
Delicious! But the sugar definitely has be cut down in half. A little too sweet but that's a personal preference. So easy to make and cheap as well. I am addicted to these and the bakery sells then for about $1 for one, and I can never eat just one, so definitely easier on my wallet when I make it at home.
I live near a very big Portuguese community, while the elements are there, the recipes custard portion is way too sweet and not custardy enough. My son loved them but they were way too sweet for me. I was disappointed because I love pasteis de nata and was hoping to save myself from having to drive to Newark everytime I want to eat them.
Being Portuguese and knowing how Pasteis de Nata should be, I must say that this is an easy short cut way to make them, And you can tell with the end result. The custard was too sweet, and the store bought puff pastry doesn't even come close to making it yourself. It isn't as crispy or buttery as home made. I would make this as a quick craving killer, but would never make this recipe for company and call it pasteis de nata. They are good tarts though, and this recipe is a very creative way of reinventing a complicated recipe.
Hands down these are NOT portuguese egg tarts. These are more like baked custard tarts. And by custard, I mean kind of like the baked custard filling you'd find in a custard bun... And to no surprise really, the egg filling gets cooked prior to being put inside the oven? Looking back on the recipe, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Portuguese egg tarts taste like Hong Kong style ones, except they are creamier and with the slightly scorched tops. Hong Kong style ones don't require the filling to be cooked beforehand. So why the wierd directions? Either way NEVER trying these again.
This is the best and easiest recipe for natas! I used vanilla extract (about 2 tsp.) and some lemon zest in the custard. I also followed another suggestion about rolling the puff pastry into a log and cutting slices. It makes perfect circles when you roll the slices out. I sprayed the muffin tins and they popped right out. Love it!
This was a great, easy recipe for a bakery treat. I made them for my brother in law and they were a big hit!!
My grandmother tought me how to make these in Portugal as a younger girl, this recipe was easier but just as good.
Excellent recipe! These were exactly like the tarts we buy at a local Portuguese bakery, but for a fraction of the price, and not very difficult to make at all. As a previous member had suggested, I rolled up the dough and cut slices off the log. The custard was absolutely delicious, my whole family loved them, and I'm sure will be requesting them again soon. Thank you!!
My husband is portuguese and we get pasteis de nata for almost every family dinner from a bakery downtown. I can assure you I will be making them instead and saving time and $. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Giving a good SOLID 4 stars. Can't give 'em a fiver cause hubby said custard was "bland". I really liked them. BUT.....this is a GOOD "base" recipe and making them gave me loads of ideas. Thanks for posting this and by the way.....mine browned up and cooked GREAT and I just used an old fashioned cupcake pan.
These were very easy to make. I rolled out the puff pastry and used a glass to cut circles out. I placed the pastry circles into a muffin tin. Everyone freaked out how good they were. This will definitly impress your family and friends. Better than the ones you get in a bakery!
I reduced the sugar by a third, but still found the custard a little too sweet. In place of vanilla, I used a few tablespoons of coconut cream instead. The coconut gave the custard a rich, fragrant flavour. This recipe is really easy, and the tarts tasted great.
I always make these tarts whenever I have egg yolks in need of use. Comes out perfect every time. I don't have a vanilla bean lying around, though, so I use a tsp of vanilla extract instead.
I forgot to temper the eggs with hot milk so I ended up straining out egg solids and adding more yolk. It still came out great although I think it was a little too sweet for me. I also had no vanilla extract so I used coconut powder. Instead of puff pastry I brushed phyllo dough with melted butter, sprinkled with sugar and layered 5 to 6 sheets. It came out rather thin and the bottom was soggy so I probably needed more layers. The top was brown and flaky and just melted in my mouth. MM! There were egg whites left over so I handwhipped some into meringue with cream of tartar and some sugar and placed dollops on top of the tarts. They look "cute" according to my girlfriend and the custard was delicious! Although the custard did foam up during baking which sort of compromised the texture. I think the heat may have been too high even though I made them at 350. Next time I'm going to try it at 300. The cornstarch made the custard a little too pasty for my taste so maybe I'll cut that in half next time. Thanks for this, it's a good substitute for the Hong Kong style Egg Tarts.
I would use 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 1 cup. Imagine 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of sugar...way too sweet!
Working w/ the puff pastry was delicious and they don't taste like authentic pasteis de nata, but that's probably impossible w/o the super hot ovens they are normally made in. They were tasty and my guests liked them.
This recipe is not even close to the original Pasteis de Nata. I think that puff pastry should not be used. I have just come back from Portugal so I was really hoping to find the recipe but this one was quite disappointing.
These do not look authentic when finished, but the flavor is awesome! I actually liked these better than the ones sold at my neighborhood portuguese bakery! However my sister tried this recipe with vanilla bean, and another batch with vanilla extract. Vanilla bean is the way to go! These are so yummie!!!!!
Simple, easy, and very good. I have a slightly different version of this, instead of a vanilla bean, I put a cinnamon stick into the milk mixture, and then at the end poured in 1/2 tsp vanilla. Will definitely be making this again.
I went to Portugal a few years ago. I find myself craving these once in a while now. Nothing can beat the pasteis in Belem...but these do the trick for my cravings! Very easy recipe. The hardest part is shaping the pastry into cups. I will definitely be making these again! But I think I am going to try a homemade crust next time.
Wonderfully easy to make and very very good! Used the Best ever pie Crust recipe from this site for the pastry. I love portugese egg tarts and this totally satisfied my craving! Thanks!
I also grew up with these AMAZING tarts and thought I'd try this recipe. Sorry everyone but not even close to the traditional ones!
These were delicious! We loved them... one tip, roll out the puff pastry so that they're fairly thin - the custard flavor was overwhelmed with the pastry when it was too thick.
I really enjoyed these. I ate mine within minutes of coming out of the oven and I just loved them. A great recipe to use when you have a bunch of egg yolks laying around.
These were very good, but waaaay too sweet. Next time I will try halving the sugar and see what happens. That said, this is a good solid recipe.
Tried these from a bakery last week and LOVED them! Thought that I would try them at home and found this recipe. It was just like what I had from the bakery. I rolled out each puff pastry piece to 10x12, rolled them into logs and cut each log into 6 pieces. Rolled each piece to a circular shape to fit into the muffin pan. This worked really well. I will definitely make these again. YUM YUM! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Being Portuguese myself, I was a pretty tough critic....but these were delicious.........not expensive to make but expensive to buy from a specialty bakery!!!
I made these with homemade Danish pastry, and they were absolutely delicious. I cut out 2 1/2"X 1/2" circles of the pastry, pressed it into muffin cups, leaving a 1/4-1/2" ridge around the top, and let it rise about 20 minutes. I pressed the bottom of the danish pastry down inside the muffin cup before spooning in the filling to make make more room for filling. When the pastries were cooled, I drizzled chocolate frosting decoratively (hopefully) over the tops and chilled. The flavors reminded me of chocolate eclairs.
The crust was the best the only part not made. The egg mixture was just fine and will not be making again.
I had to substitute vanilla beans for vanilla extract. I was told they're really expensive + I couldn't find them anywhere. Also I used Tenderflake tart cups which were the only ones I could find at my grocery store but the result was really yummy and good! I didn't like that the recipe didn't say what temperature the custard should be cooked on so I had to improvise and that really worried me because of how much ingredients I was using- I didn't want to mess up. And on step two, it wasn't exactly clear. I know you're supposed to red the recipe first thoroughly but I didn't. So I didn't know you weren't supposed to combine all the milk with the cornstarch, sugar and vanilla bean. Then I read the next part. I only had one pot to work with, how could I make warmed milk with no other pot?! AND I already added all the milk to the sauce pan. I ended having to put the egg yolks into that mixture. There was no issue in the results I just wish that the recipe was more clear. They were a bit sweet so I think that is what made them differ from the ones I get from the bakery. Of all the people who tried them, everyone like them. :)
Husband went bananas over these! Followed the advice of one reviewer and rolled the dough into a loaf, split in half, then cut the halves into thirds. They took up most of the muffin space, but just pour that custard right over. Works like a charm.
Great pasteis...I had to make more because they were gone instantly. Yummy warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon or powered sugar!
these were fantastic! i made these for the 1st time for christmas eve and christmas day dinners and they were a hit on both occasions. i didn't use all egg yolks. i did some full eggs and some just egg yolks. when i used just egg yolks, the mixture turned out a bit too thick for my liking. i also rolled the puff pastry dough out thinner to create a more delicate cup. otherwise, the pastry is too thick and doesn't cook thoroughly.
I'm sorry these were only okay though. 1st time: Followed recipie exactly--(i hate overly sweet things so cut the sugar to 1/2 cup). I first made the egg part, then i made the crust (which takes pretty long time to roll and push into the muffin pan) so by then the custard part had hardened, so i reheated it and then put it in the oven (that was my fault). 20 minutes exact and they were good to go. But theyre a little to..."starchy" for us. We prefer the really light egg custards that taste almost like steamed eggs, so they were only okayyy. 2nd time: Reduced starch to 1 tablespoon, cut sugar to 1/4 cup (because they were still too sweet). Did crust first, then custard, but the custard turned out bad and was more like scrambled eggs, so DO NOT OVERCOOK!!! Stop when its liquidy thick, but not solid thick thick. Hope it helps...if you're gonna use this recipie...I'm trying some other recipie we invented on the spot because of the failure of these...post back when they're done! :)
So delicious and easy to make too! I make them in mini-muffin tins as well as the dough is easier to handle. Very authentic!
Very tasty. I never liked custard much and wanted to use up my puff pastry and these are really good. A bit tricky to get a 9"x9" pastry to fit muffin cups, but manageable. I think Pepperidge Farm has a product that comes in puff pastry shells that may be easier. I also think since I don't care for custard that adding lemon zest/juice to custard filling would be a good variation, or maybe even a chocolate custard. Overall, a very good simple recipe that turns out a very elegant tart, suitable for company.
The ingedients are perfect but the directions lack a little. My custard took less than 2 mins to thicken and do note that once it starts to thicken to goes very very quick and is a thick gel in less than a min. Also the puff pastery can be rolled quite thin (1/8") and still puffs up tons, but dont try to re-roll scraps that doesn't really work. Next time around Im sure they will turn out great.
This was absolutely delicious! I added a lemon rind whilst cooking the custard and took it out before baking. It gave it a nice taste! Really good recipe!
Big hit with our guests. One was from Argentina and when he tasted these he said it brought back fond memories. Said his mom used to make them a lot. He asked for the recipe. They were easy and certainly tasty. The only thing I would recommend would be to maybe add something fruity, like a fruit sauce or something. Or even a chocolate sauce, or something to that effect. I think that would liven them up a lot. Give them another flavor dimension.
Awesome goodness. I used mini muffin tins and added a slice of banana on under the custard before baking them.
My first rating and so worth it! Not only was this easy to make, but it was absolutely delicious! My only suggestion is to make a double batch! I will definitely be making these again! Thank you John, for sharing!
I wanted to try making my own egg tarts- hoping that it would taste like those authentic macanese/portuguese egg tarts. so i tried this at home... i had to make my own dough because there's no available frozen puff pastry at the groceries. anyway, i made 2 sets. the first set with this recipe (The filling) and the second was another recipe from another site. After baking, it turned out that this recipe is too sweet. It didn't look like the filling in the picture. it looks quite lumpy- i probably didn't get it right-haha. the second recipe however was quite good. this is just my own opinion though- the second one actually tasted better and the taste is kinda like the macau egg tarts. :) but this one is still good- my brother liked this one better. I guess it depends on people taste. thanks for the recipe by the way. I'm able to explore different types of fillings & recipes for egg tarts.
These received numerous rave reviews from a dinner party I hosted and I must say they are delicious but definitely very sweet. I think the tough critics probably overcooked the custard custard rushed the milk and egg mixing and so were not pleased with the texture. The vanilla bean is a must and makes the custard delectable. Made these again last Christmas Eve and got a call the next morning about how good they were! Kudos to you John for making me look good. Will always make these for special occasions.
I never thought of trying to bake these until now. I was very skeptical because I've always been told they are too difficult to get right. I'm so glad I did! I had to add 5 minutes to the cook time (I have an electric oven)and then I turned the broiler on for another 5 minutes to get that nice brown color on top of the custard. Not quite the bakery quality I grew up eating but I have to admit - even for my 'picky' self - the custard was a great consistency!
These turned out fantastic. Very true to the authentic Portuguese version. I would only suggest perhaps cutting down the sugar a tad bit, I felt they were a bit too sweet. I also used vanilla extract instead of the bean and added a pinch of cinnamon to the mixture as well as a sprinking on top (as is traditional in Lisbon). I will definitely be making these again. Unlike other reviewers, I had no issues with the puff pastry and I also left them in the oven for about 5 extra minutes because I wanted a browner top on the custard. But excellent recipe, thanks!
I would have given 5 stars but the recipe did not give the temperature for cooking the custard. Also didn't say to remove the custard from the heat after you cook it for 5 minutes.The custard will burn quickly after the 5 minutes. Great tasking custard tart. Made it twice already.To save time I used the packaged frozen tart shells.
The custard is amazing! I used phyllo pastry and while it is very good, I will use a sweeter dough next time.
This is even better than my favorite egg tarts at the dimsum restaurants.... SO AMAZING. You must try this. :)
So easy to make. It takes 40 min just to thaw out your puff pastry so account for that time. These are very delicate and tasty. I didn't find them too sweet at all. Mine popped right out of my muffin tin. No sticking at all.
My husband is Portuguese, and Pasteis de Nata are one of his all-time favorites. I made this recipe for him, and you could see the trip down memory lane on his face as he ate one. He said the custard was spot on, and his only suggestion was that the puff pastry be rolled out a little thinner. I will most definitely be making these often, as hubby just loved them. I had never had one before, and thought they were great!
this was very good and easy to make. i've never made these sorts of tarts before and i found when i finished the custard it was quite thick and i wasn't sure if that was right so i added some more milk. when they finished baking the custard puffed up nicely but then when the tarts cooled the custard fell. perhaps because i had whisked it quite a bit. anyways the flavour was nice and i will definitely make these again.
The pastries taste good but the dough is really underbaked. Also the instructions for this recipe are poor - the recipe doesn't indicate the temperature for making the stovetop custard.
This was a great recipe. Even my kids loved it! Mine were done at 20 min. I continued to cook them longer to get that "browning" on top, but should not have. Next time I'll take them out and skip the browing on top.
I was pretty skeptical when I looked over how simple this recipe as a kid I would help my mom out to make these her traditional recipe entailed 3 times the ingredients and 100 more times the mess so I was pleasantly suprised when I tryed this recipe out , I honestly thought they were up to par with my mothers. (Shh!)
This was pretty good. My kids loved them. The filling was easy to make and the puff pastry shells were just the right flakiness. The taste however was not as close to authentic as i was hoping for. Somehow the filling was not quite right. Nevertheless i will make again because the kids loved them, they were easy to make.... and it's a lot cheeper to make at home for a large family. I think these cost about $2 each at the bakery.
I used 1.5 cups of cream (10%), only 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and the consistency is perfect!! Just like the ones from our local Portuguese bakery!! Thanks for the recipe!! Absolutely delicious!!
I made it in ramekin and it turns out well, don't have to worry about crumbling just scoop! The custard is simple and super nice, thank you for sharing the recipe!
I actually made the custard the day before, then filled and baked the tarts the next day. I agree the puff pastry was not easy to deal with,so I used regular frozen tartlet shells for half of them. The custard was great, though I only used 1/3 cup sugar and still found it a bit too sweet. Will definitely make this again!!
As close to buying these in a Portuguese bakery in Newark as you can get in your own kitchen.
The custard part of this recipe is BRILLIANT. I mean, wonderful!!! Mine didn't turn out exactly right because I didn't put enough custard into the tarts- they ended up with just a slight coating that turned chewy during the baking. Totally my fault. But I ate the rest of the custard right out of the pan so it was ok!
I had six leftover egg yolks that I didn't want to waste, so I decided to try this. I've never heard of Portugese Custard Tarts before, but they looked good. I didn't have a vanilla bean and substituted two tsp. of vanilla extract, but I immediately saw the wisdom of using the vanilla bean when I saw the extract made the milk & sugar mixture turn tan. It wasn't as noticeable after I added the egg yolks, but I think the finished custard would have been a brighter yellow if I hadn't used the extract. I didn't find it a problem to put the puff pastry into the muffin tins, as some have said. I just cut the sheet into 12 pieces, which happened to be slightly rectangular in shape, and I just pulled them a bit to make them square and they tucked into the muffin tins with no problem. I had no problem with them sticking, either. I like the contrast of the creamy filling and the crisp puff pastry. The tarts are very sweet, maybe almost too sweet, but having never tasted them before, maybe that's just the way they're supposed to be.
Saw a Netflix show on foods around the world and HAD to try to make them! So easy and so good! I didn't changed anything and they were perfect!
These were tasty. A little on the sweet side for me. The reason I gave them a 3 is because they taste nothing like authentic Portuguese custard tarts. The search goes on...
These are very easy to make, super delicious and they look gorgeous too - I only gave four stars as these were a bit on the sweet side for my taste. Next time I'll reduce the sugar by 1/3 cup. Looking forward to the remake :-)
As a custard fiend, one of my favorite desserts to make! Though I would definitely cut down the sugar to 3/4 or 1/2 cup -- they're plenty sweet even with that much. You can also use 1/4 tsp vanilla extract if you don't have vanilla bean. I took another reviewer's advice and rolled up, cut, and pressed the puff pastry into the bottom of the muffin tins. This way, there aren't any corners dangling off the sides of each well and the puff pastry is allowed to expand more during cooking.
Made these 3x now and I'm still trying to perfect the custard part. Tastes delicious but the custard isn't as smooth as I'd like. The custard continues to cook after you take it off the stove, so take it off a little early. Also, have the tarts ready and do the custard last because as it cooks and cools down it keeps thickening. As for the tart part, contrary to the image, I rolled my thawed pastry dough out into a square and then rolled that into a log. I cut disks about 1/2" thick and rolled those out into circles to line the muffin tin. Recipe was a hit!
Gorgeous custard thank you for sharing!! Made a pie with apricots with it and it was and outstanding custard :)
Just returned from our first trip to Portugal and was craving these BADLY. With little experience with frozen puff pastry, I was intimidated (I'm also not a baker). They were AMAZING. A tiny bit too sweet for me, but that's just me and maybe I'll take out 25% of the sugar next time. Also, I did not have vanilla bean, so I used extract (which could have contributed to the sweetness).
These were quite good. The custard has such a lovely flavor and the crisp pastry is nice too. Thanks for sharing this!
OMG! I am definitely not a Baker, they look awful but the taste is incredible! I will make them again but take time with the puff pastry!
I have no idea if these are "authentic", but wow are they delicious! I used 2t vanilla extract instead of the whole vanilla bean to save some cost and they were still yummy.
Heavenly!!! I made two small changes. I reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup as a cup was way too much. It is still very sweet even with 3/4 cup. I used a half tsp vanilla extract as I did not have a vanilla bean. I used premade frozen puff pastry. I made half a batch rolling the pastry into squares and half doing the suggestion of rolling it and cutting into pinwheels. Everyone preferred the squares as it was flakier, I think as it was handled less. The only problem with these is that you cannot stop eating them!
I didn't have pastry dough, so I used pie crust instead, But the custard was extremely sweet. I love egg tarts because of the egg. Even though I used less sugar than the recipe called for, it was all that I tasted. I will not use this recipe again.
I had these in Portugal and found the recreations to be very simple and accurate! They were a bit too sweet, so I'll try reducing the sugar next time, but otherwise everything was spot on.
Puff pastry is way, way too thick and ...dry?? un-buttery?? I followed the suggestion to cut the sugar in half and was SO happy I did. The filling did have a funny texture to it but the taste was pretty close.
