Portuguese Custard Tarts
Learn to make authentic Portuguese custard tarts with this easy recipe. Perfect flaky pastry and creamy custard with signature caramelized tops in under 2 hours.
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- saucepan
- whisk
- fine-mesh sieve
- muffin tin
- oven
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry about 14 ounces, unrolled and chilled
Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 strip lemon peel from 1/2 large lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick about 3 inches long
Custard
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Unroll the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Tightly roll it up from one of the short ends into a log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 equal slices, each about 1 1/4 inches thick. Place each pastry slice, cut-side down, into a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Using your thumbs, press the pastry out from the center to form a thin cup that lines the entire cavity, ensuring the bottom is very thin and the sides are slightly thicker and extend to the top rim of the cup. Refrigerate the muffin tin while you prepare the custard.
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup water, the 1 strip of lemon peel, and the 1 cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer for exactly 3 minutes without stirring. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool slightly for 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the lemon peel and cinnamon stick.
- In a separate medium saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until it thickens to a pourable custard consistency, similar to a thin pudding, about 5 to 7 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, lightly whisk the 6 large egg yolks until just combined. Slowly pour about half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly and vigorously to temper them. This crucial step gradually brings the egg yolks up to temperature, preventing them from scrambling. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan, whisking until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually pour the slightly cooled sugar syrup into the egg yolk and milk mixture, whisking constantly until the custard is smooth and well-integrated. For a silky-smooth texture, strain the entire custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any potential lumps or bits of cooked egg.
- Preheat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius). Remove the chilled pastry-lined muffin tin from the refrigerator. Carefully fill each pastry cup about three-quarters full with the strained custard. Do not overfill.
- Transfer the muffin tin to the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden brown and flaky, and the custard is visibly bubbly with characteristic dark brown or almost black "leopard spots" on top. These spots are highly desirable and indicate proper caramelization. Keep a close eye on the tarts during the last few minutes of baking to prevent burning.
- Carefully remove the hot tarts from the oven. Let them cool in the muffin tin for 5 to 10 minutes to allow them to set slightly before gently transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Portuguese custard tarts are traditionally enjoyed warm or at room temperature, ideally on the same day they are baked for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
Portuguese custard tarts are traditionally enjoyed warm or at room temperature, ideally on the same day they are baked for the best flavor and texture.