Pastel de Nata

by David

Smooth Custard and Crumbly Pastry

Instructions

Make the pastry

Combine the flour, salt, and water.

Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes. This means no kneading required.

Dust the work surface and the dough with flour.

Roll the dough out to a large square-ish.

Cover 2/3 of the dough with butter.

Fold the 1/3 of plain dough over and then cover it with the remaining 1/3 of buttered pastry. This gives three layers.

Roll the pastry out again. If it resists then leave it to rest for a few minutes before continuing.

Cover 2/3 of the pastry with the butter. Fold the 1/3 of plain pastry over and then cover it with the remaining 1/3 of buttered pastry. This gives 9 layers.

Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the pastry out to a large square.

Now brush the whole surface with butter.

You can trim the very top and bottom of the pastry if you don't have a straight edge.

Roll it up into a tight log.

Pinch the seam together. Lost count of layers.

Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate until ready to use. An hour or overnight is best.

Make the custard mix

In a bowl whisk the 20g flour with the 30g milk to a smooth paste.

Leave on the side.

Combine 120g milk with the vanilla paste in a pan and bring up to a boil.

Pour the hot milk over the flour/milk paste and whisk until smooth.

Combine the water and sugar in a pan and bring up to a boil. You can add a cinnamon stick or cinnamon powder

Remove the cinnamon stick and pour the syrup into the bowl with the milk/flour mix.

Whisk until combined.

Leave the mix to cool down.

Whisk in the egg yolks.

Cover the custard mix and leave it on the side. You can even refrigerate it for a few days.

Ready to Cook

Pre-heat the oven to 240. Don't skip this bit the oven needs to be at it's highest temperature.

Brush muffin tin with butter.

Trim the edges of the pastry log and cut the pastry into 12 equal pieces.

Place the pieces in the muffin tray.

Gently press the pastry down and out sideways using your thumbs. The bottom should be as thin as possible and the sides nice and even.

Pour the custard mix into the pastry cases and bake for 10 - 15 minutes

Remove and leave them on a cooling tray to cool down.

Enjoy with a dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon alongside a strong coffee.

Freezing for later

Once cooled you can store them in the freezer.

From frozen cook for 15 minutes at Gas Mark 200.