Queijadas de nata

Queijadas de nata are tasty Portuguese treats. They have a smooth custard filling wrapped in a crispy pastry shell.

These little tarts are similar to the well-known pastéis de nata and have been loved in Portugal for ages. People often enjoy them with coffee or tea.

This recipe makes it easy to whip up these delicious tarts at home. The combination of a buttery crust and a creamy, slightly toasted custard is just right.

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 3 tablespoons cold water (or as needed)

For the Filling:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup whole milk
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the flour and salt.
2. Add the cold butter and mix with your fingers until it looks like crumbs.
3. Slowly add cold water, one tablespoon at a time.
4. Mix until the dough sticks together.
5. Form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. In a saucepan, whisk the cream, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract together.
7. Stir in the cornstarch and milk until smooth.
8. Heat the pan on medium and stir constantly until it thickens a bit, about 5-7 minutes.
9. Take it off the heat and mix in lemon zest if you want.
10. Let the filling cool down.
11. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
12. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it’s about 1/8-inch thick.
13. Cut circles to fit your tart pans or muffin tin and press them into the molds.
14. Trim off any extra dough.
15. Carefully fill each pastry shell with cooled custard, leaving a little space at the top.
16. Bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes, until the filling is golden and the pastry is crisp.
17. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool fully.
18. Serve them at room temperature.
19. You can sprinkle powdered sugar on top if you like.