Best Portuguese Creamy Milk Dessert Recipes

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
• Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
• Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
• Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
• Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
• Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.

25 POPULAR PORTUGUESE DESSERT COLLECTION

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe.
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• Prep a Portuguese dessert in 30 minutes or less!

PORTUGUESE MILK TARTS (QUEIJADAS DE LEITE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray (recipe will fill 18 cups of a muffin tin).
• In a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar and melted butter with a fork or whisk until smooth.
• Add in the flour and mix until smooth.
• Add in the warm milk and mix until smooth. The batter will be very thin and runny.
• Pour into the greased muffin tins filling each cup 3/4 of the way full.
• Bake 20 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown, on the middle rack of oven.
• Note: while baking the tarts will puff up and while cooling they will sink.
• Remove from oven. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of each tart (optional).
• Allow tarts to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes and then carefully remove from pan. Use a knife or cake spatula to loosen the edges of the tart from the pan to remove.

PORTUGUESE EGG TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
• Place the pie crust mix into a bowl, and lightly rub the butter and water into the mix until the mixture holds together well enough to form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead several times to make the dough more elastic. Form into a ball again, and cut the ball in half; cut each half into half again (4 pieces); cut each quarter into thirds to make 12 total pieces. Roll the pieces into balls, and set aside.
• Beat together the egg yolks, sugar, cream, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and foamy, about 3 minutes; strain the filling through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl.
• Press a dough ball into the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a prepared muffin cup; repeat for remaining dough pieces. Spoon each crust about 80 percent full of the egg yolk mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the crusts are golden brown, the filling is set, and the tarts are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.