Pasteis de Nata

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Makes 12 Tartes.

Ingredients:

For the rough puff pastry:

150 gr. all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

25 gr. unsalted butter, chilled and diced

50-75 ml chilled water

60 gr unsalted butter, frozen

For the custard:

375 ml whole milk

45 gr. all-purpose flour

2 strips of lemon zest

1 cinnamon stick

375 gr. confectioner's sugar

7 large egg yolks

Preparation:

For the pastry, mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.  Rub in the chilled butter, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Gradually add enough chilled water (about 4-6 tablespoons) to form a dough. 

Roll out the dough to a rectangle on a lightly floured work surface.  Grate half of the frozen butter over the bottom two thirds of the dough.  Fold down the top third and fold up the bottom third as if folding a letter.

Turn the folded dough 90 degrees and roll it out into a rectangle again.  Repeat the process and grate the remaining frozen butter on two-thirds of the dough and fold as before.  Wrap the dough in cling wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll and fold the pastry twice more, each time wrapping the dough in cling wrap and leaving it to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a rectangle measuring 8" by 12".  Roll up the pastry tightly, from the short side, into a log and cut the log into 12 equal discs.

Place 1 disc into the cup of the muffin tin, swirl-side up.  Using wet fingers, carefully press the pastry up the sides with your fingers, working from the center outwards, until the pastry just pokes over the top.  Repeat with the remaining pastry discs.  Chill for 20 minutes.

For the custard, pour the milk into a pan and whisk in the flour.  Add the strips of lemon zest and the cinnamon stick.  Bring to a simmer over low heat, whisking continuously.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until thick.  Remove from heat.

Dissolve the sugar in 185 ml of water in a small pan over a low heat.  Then, increase the heat and boil until a drop of syrup placed in a glass of water forms a thread (or it reaches 106 - 112 degrees C on a candy thermometer).  Gradually whisk the boiling syrup into the milk mixture.

Put the egg yolks in a large bowl and strain the milk mixture over the top, whisking to combine.  Cover the surface with cling wrap and leave to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, remove the lemon zest and cinnamon stick.

Heat the oven to 475 degrees (don't use convection).  Pour the custard into the pastry cases, leaving a 1/4 inch gap at the top, then bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp and the custard is bubbling with tiny brown spots on top.

Cool the tarts in the tins for 5 minutes, then gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

History:

Recipe comes from the Great British Bake Off.