Pasteis De Nata or Baked Custard Cups

These lovely custard baked pastry cups are delectable. They are a must have at every Portuguese family gathering. This recipe is a modern version of the classic recipe which is very time consuming. You will be amazed to know that you will never have to buy these from the bakery again! Enjoy.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 24 muffin cups

Ingredients

• Filling

• 2  cups half-and-half cream (10% m.f.)
• 8  egg yolks
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 1  cup white sugar

• Pastry

• 397  g  of tenderflake  pastry dough (located in the freezer section in your local grocery store.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. **24 Hours before you make the pasteis de nata, remove tenderflake puff pastry from the freezer and let unthaw at room temperature.
3. 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.
4. Bring liquid mixture to a slow boil. Remove from heat when the mixture has thickened.
5. Let mixture cool completely before pouring into the tart shells.
6. 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).
7. Dust knife with flour as needed when cutting to prevent sticking.
8. Roll each piece of dough in the palm of your hand, like you would a meatball. Then flatten out by pressing your palms together.
9. 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 !
10. Place dough in muffin tin and work in so that the dough is even with the top edge.
11. Fill each tin which is lined with dough with the filling so that filling is almost to the top.
12. 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.
13. ***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.
14. Let baked cups cool completely then refrigerate in an airtight container.
15. These tasty morsels never last long enough to freeze so I am not sure if they keep well frozen.