Portuguese milk tarts, or queijadas de leite, are delicious little treats that many people love. They come from the Azores and are popular in bakeries and homes in Portugal.
These tarts are simple and tasty. The filling, made from milk, eggs, and sugar, bakes up nicely in a light crust.
These tarts are great for afternoon tea, dessert, or as part of a snack spread. They use just a few easy-to-find ingredients. You can make them right at home!
Ingredients:
For the Pastry:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 3-4 tablespoons cold water
For the Filling:
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
Instructions:
- In a big bowl, mix the flour and salt.
- Add the cold butter and use your fingers to break it up into small bits.
- Slowly add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough holds together.
- Make it into a disc, wrap it up, and chill it for 30 minutes.
- Heat the milk in a medium pot until it’s warm but not boiling.
- Take it off the heat when it’s ready.
- In another bowl, mix the sugar, eggs, and flour until smooth.
- Slowly add the warm milk while whisking so it doesn’t get lumpy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest if you’re using it.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut out circles and press them into a muffin tin or tart molds.
- Trim any extra dough. Use a fork to prick the bottoms of the shells.
- Pour the custard mixture into the tarts, filling them just below the edge.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is set and light golden.
- It will puff up a bit while baking and settle when it cools.
- Take them out and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Serve them warm or at room temperature.
- You can sprinkle some powdered sugar or ground cinnamon on top if you like.
