Exploring Portuguese Baking

Name: Tarte de Nata Portuguese Cream Tart
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 300g of Plain Flour; 100g Whitworths Caster Sugar; 150g of Butter, cold; 1 Large Egg; Dash of Milk; 6 Egg Yolks; 500ml Whole Milk; 200ml Double cream; 200g Whitworths Caster Sugar; 40g Cornflour; 1-2 Cinnamon Sticks; ½ Lemon, Zest; 2 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste

Portugal is well known for its desserts so it was a must-have for us on our global journey! Join us as we delve into the irresistible world of Portuguese baking, where every bite is a celebration of flavour, culture, and culinary craftsmanship.

The Baker

Now to introduce you to our wonderful baker behind this delicious twist on a classic!

Name: Ana Da Silva (@jofis.bakes)
Home country: Portugal

The Story Behind the Bake

Introducing Tarte de Nata. This version isn't traditional but offers a twist on the well-loved Pastel de Nata. Rather than lots of small tarts, i've crafted one large one, made with a sweet shortcrust pastry base and a creamy filling, similar to custard tart.

This bake holds a special place in my heart as it reminds me of growing up in Portugal, especially now that I live in the UK. This used to be our Sunday treat as growing up we weren’t really allowed sweets, so Sunday was always worth waiting for!

I feel that because Portuguese bakes are always so flavourful, it’s tricky to personalise with different ingredients. However, because this particular tart has a subtle lemon flavour, I added some fresh raspberries on top (which happened to be from Portugal). This added a slight sharpness which combined with the sweetness of the tart, made for the perfect combination!

Tarte de Nata Portuguese Cream Tart

Rated 4.3 stars by 10 users

Servings

Prep Time

45 minutes

Cook Time

25-30 minutes

Tarte de Nata is a classic Portuguese tart with a creamy custard filling infused with cinnamon on a sweet shortcrust pastry base.

Author:

jofis.bakes

Image of Tarte de Nata Portuguese Cream Tart

Ingredients

For the Base

300g of Plain Flour
100g Whitworths Caster Sugar
150g of Butter, cold
1 Large Egg
Dash of Milk

For the Filling

6 Egg Yolks
500ml Whole Milk
200ml Double cream
200g Whitworths Caster Sugar
40g Cornflour
1-2 Cinnamon Sticks
½ Lemon, Zest
2 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste

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Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add the cubed butter and use your fingertips to lightly rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
In a separate bowl, beat a large egg with a dash of milk. Add this mixture to the flour mixture to create a rough dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together to form a ball.
Wrap the dough ball in clingfilm and chill it in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
After chilling, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a circle, ensuring it’s around 4mm thick or about the thickness of a £1 coin.
Gently lift the pastry using the rolling pin and unroll it into your tart dish.
Trim any excess edges and cover the pastry with foil. Chill it again for about 15 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Whilst the pastry is chilling in the fridge, preheat your oven to 180ºC and prepare your Nata (Portuguese for Cream) filling.

For the Filling

In a large pan, combine the egg yolks, vanilla bean paste, cream, sugar, and cornflour. Whisk together until well combined.
Add the lemon zest, cinnamon sticks, and milk to the mixture in the pan. Place the pan on a hob over low to medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.
Remove the pastry from the fridge. Carefully pour the Nata filling into the prepared pastry case. Removing the cinnamon stick and lemon zest.
Place the filled tart into the preheated oven and bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
Note: Don’t be alarmed if you see the top starting to blacken a little, this is completely fine and adds to the Nata charm!
And you're done, enjoy this decadent tart with a sprinkling of cinnamon or why not garnish with some raspberries to add a pop of colour!

Posted on April 22, 2024

Tereos UK Ireland

7 comments

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Comments

Geri

May 02, 2024

Proven and tested Delicious. Come and taste it! Ana is doing really good job.

Maria

May 02, 2024

This looks delicious! A delicacy from Portugal ❤️

D. Duarte Portugal

May 02, 2024

10/10 would recommend :)

Cátia Costa

May 02, 2024

It is always a privilege to taste everything that Ana bakes. She really knows how to sweeten our souls with her sweets. I recommend everyone to taste it. It is without,a doubt, amazing!

José Silva

May 02, 2024

I’m sure about the good taste. Great creation and I’m in a rush to try it! Congratulations!

Sam

May 02, 2024

Definitely one to try. This looks amazing!

Zachary McArthur

April 26, 2024

A wonderful recipe! Not too sweet whilst still being packed with flavour!