Portuguese Custard Tarts

Or 'Pastel de Nata' as they are called in Portugal. Delicious egg custard tarts that are loved all over the world. As well as Portugal, I have seen these served in London, Spain, Germany, the Canaries and know they are adored over in the Far East too.

I made these about half an hour ago and we are literally sitting here with a cup of tea, waiting impatiently for them to cool to room temperature (best way to eat them).

Ingredients:

1 packet puff pastry
275ml milk
zest of 1 medium orange
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out (keep separate)
4 egg yolks
150g caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour

Method:

Set the oven to 210 C. Grease a 12 hole muffin tin with butter and line them with the pastry.

Put the milk in a saucepan with the orange zest and the vanilla pods (with seeds removed) and heat to hot but not boiling.

Whisk the eggs yolks in a bowl with the sugar until combined and add the vanilla seeds and flour, stir in.

Put a sieve over the egg mix and pour the hot milk over the eggs. Whisk well until combined and transfer to a jug. Carefully pour the egg custard into the pastry cases, filling to the top. Gently put in the oven for approx. 20 minutes.

They will be puffed up when you take them out of the oven - don't worry when they sink down. They are meant to do that! Leave to cool to room temperature and enjoy. Happy Sunday everyone!