Pasteis De Nata Or Baked Custard Cups Food

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
• Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
• Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
• Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
• Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
• Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS - PASTEIS DE NATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
• In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
• Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top

PASTEIS DE NATA (CUSTARD TARTS)

Steps:

• Make the pastry.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the flour, salt and sugar to combine.
• Add the butter and pulse until the flour resembles coarse, uneven cornmeal, about 10 1-second pulses.
• Drizzle 5 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture.
• Pulse several times to work the water into the flour.
• Add the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue pulsing until the mixture develops small curds.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface, shape it into a disc and cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to 1/16-inch thickness.
• Cut out 6 (4 1/2-inch) circles.
• (If you don't have a cookie cutter, a wide-mouth jar works well.) Ease the dough circles into a 12-cup (4-ounce capacity) nonstick muffin tin, pressing out any overlapping folds.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Place the tin in the freezer for 5 minutes.
• Remove and trim any overhang with the back of a knife so that the pastry cups are flush with the top of the tins.
• Line dough cups with cupcake papers and fill with dried beans or pastry weights.
• Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 8 to 10 minutes to set.
• Make the custard.
• Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of the cream in a medium bowl.
• Add the remaining cream and sugar, and stir until the mixture is smooth and the sugar dissolves.
• Check for sugar granules with a spoon; none should remain.
• In a small bowl, blend the yolks with a fork until smooth.
• Add the yolks to the cream mixture, stirring gently to combine.
• Ladle the egg mixture into the partially baked pastry cups, filling to 2/3 capacity.
• Bake in at 350°F (180°C) until the edges of the custard are puffed and middle is still jiggly, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• (The custard will continue to cook.) Cool completely in the tin.
• The pastéis are best when eaten the same day.

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
• In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
• Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top.

PASTEIS DE NATA OR BAKED CUSTARD CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• **24 Hours before you make the pasteis de nata, remove tenderflake puff pastry from the freezer and let unthaw at room temperature.
• Place all filling ingredients in a saucepan and whisk together until it is somewhat frothy in appearance. The temperature of the stove should be at medium heat. Stir constantly.
• Bring liquid mixture to a slow boil. Remove from heat when the mixture has thickened.
• Let mixture cool completely before pouring into the tart shells.
• The tenderflake puff pastry block will come in two blocks. (Cut each block into 12 if using large cups and 24 if using mini cups).
• Dust knife with flour as needed when cutting to prevent sticking.
• Roll each piece of dough in the palm of your hand, like you would a meatball. Then flatten out by pressing your palms together.
• Dust fingers with flour before working each piece in a rotating circular motion to expand to size. Spray muffin tin with non stick spray even if they are non stick !
• Place dough in muffin tin and work in so that the dough is even with the top edge.
• Fill each tin which is lined with dough with the filling so that filling is almost to the top.
• For large cups bake for 35-45 minutes and for mini cups bake for 20-28 minutes. Until golden in colour or desired colour has been achieved (SOME PREFER TO HAVE THEM A DARK CARMEL COLOR ON TOP). I use a convection oven so adjust your heat and length of baking time accordingly.
• ***When you remove the cups from the oven you will notice the filling to be quite puffed up but they will deflate once they start to cool.
• Let baked cups cool completely then refrigerate in an airtight container.
• These tasty morsels never last long enough to freeze so I am not sure if they keep well frozen.