Queijadas Portuguese Custard Tartlets Recipes

PORTUGUESE MILK TARTS {QUEIJADAS DE LEITE}

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl combine 2 cups of sugar and flour.
• Whisk in beaten eggs, then add melted butter, continuing to whisk, and then milk.
• Pour mixture into greased muffin tin, filling them to a little more than ¾ full.
• Bake on center rack for 30 mins or until sides and top are golden.
• Remove the tarts from muffin tin while hot by running a sharp knife around the sides and lifting them out.
• Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the tarts as a topping.
• Serve the same day or store in cool place until ready to serve. Can be made 1 day ahead and served at room temperature.

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (QUEIJADAS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Make a little volcano in the middle of the flour.
• Slowly add water to the centre and mix slowly with a fork or your (clean) fingers while you pour. If you pour too quickly, the water will spill over the flour, so mix a little and pour a little.
• Knead/work the dough with your hand. Just like kneading dough for bread. Do this for about 5 minutes.
• Make a little ball. note: It shouldn't stick to your hands at this point.
• Dust some flour on the top and bottom of the dough ball and cover with a dry towel.
• Let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes minutes.
• In a medium bowl, cut the stick of butter in small pieces and add the 2 pinches of salt.
• Use a fork to mash the butter until smooth and soft (should look like very soft vanilla ice cream).
• Dust (lightly sprinkle) a clean large surface with flour.
• Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a long thin even-shaped rectangle. Dust with flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or surface. Flip the dough over a few times to roll both sides evenly.
• Using a spatula, butter knife or your fingers, spread a thin layer of butter on the flat dough.
• Lightly mark a line at one and two thirds of the length of the dough. Basically, you're trying to divide the length in three equal part.
• Fold the dough from the right, towards the left to the second line (two thirds of the way across).
• Fold the dough from the left to reach the right edge (close it like a book). Your dough should resemble a small rectangle. The dough should be thin.
• Dust a baking sheet with flour, place the dough on the baking sheet and dust the top with more flour.
• Cover the dough with parchment paper and place it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Clean the surface where you rolled the dough before and dust with flour again.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on the dusted surface. Point the open edges away from and towards you.
• Dust the top of the dough with flour.
• Repeat the last 10 steps twice (starting at using the rolling pin to roll the dough into a long thin even-shaped rectangle).
• Once the dough comes out of the fridge for the fourth time, roll it out into a large rectangle like previously, only this time you will carefully and evenly roll the length of the dough into a tight long tube shape. Note: don't try to do this fast!
• Trim the edges with a sharp knife for a nice even cut.
• Cut the dough "tube" in half.
• Wrap one half with cling wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes (wrap and place the other half in the freezer. it lasts about 6 months. You only need half the dough for this recipe.
• Cut the dough into 16 equal size wheels, about 3/4 inch or just under 2 cm.
• Have a bowl of cold water handy.
• Dip your fingers in cold water so the dough doesn't stick to your fingers.
• Place a round piece of dough on the bottom of the tin.
• Start pressing/pushing the dough circle into the bottom and up the sides all around the tin.
• This process will take a bit of time. At the end, you should have a thin layer at the bottom and covering the sides to the edge. The bottom should be thin but not ripped.
• Repeat the last three steps until you've used all of the dough.
• Place all the covered tins on the baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 550 °F. Our oven's regular temperature only goes to 500 °F, but I can also set it to 500 °F on convection which is equivalent to 550 °F on the regular setting. It's very important to use a hot oven. This will ensure the tops come out toasty.
• Pour the water, sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest in a medium bowl and heat on medium high.
• Once it reaches a slow boil, keep cooking for about 4 minutes or until you've achieved a syrup (can coat the back of a spoon and drips slowly). If you have a candy thermomter, the temp. should be 100 °C or 212 °F. Set aside off the stove (discard the lemon zest and cinnamon stick).
• Place the flour in a medium bowl and pour about 1/4 cup of cream over the flour.
• Pour the rest of the cream into a sauce pot and heat on medium high.
• Whisk the flour and cream until smooth.
• Once the cream starts to boil, pour it over the flour/cream mixture and keep whisking.
• Measure 1 cup of the syrup mixture and add it to the cream mixture, whisk together. (discard the rest of the syrup or use it in a drink).
• Add a spoonful or two of the custard mixture to the egg yolks and whisk to avoid turning them to scrambled eggs.
• Add the egg yolk mixture over the custard mixture and whisk well.
• Remove the baking sheet with the tins from the fridge.
• Pour the custard mixture into each of the tins to about 3/4 of the height of the dough. Discard the rest of the custard mix. There shouldn't be much left.
• Carefully place the baking sheet in the hot oven on the middle rack and bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the tarts cool for about 15 minutes. They'll look puffy when they come out of the oven, but will then drop a little. This is normal.
• Enjoy your homemade Portuguese custard tarts with a little cinnamon, plain, warm or cool!An espresso is a perfect match for these tarts!

QUEIJADAS (PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTLETS)

Steps:

• 1. Blend together your 1st 3 ingredients and mix well. Gradually add in your flour and milk. Continue to blend until completely smooth. Stir in vanilla. Don't be alarmed if your mixture is thin! It will be!
• 2. Ladle into well greased muffin tins. (Do not use paper cups!). Fill about 3/4 full.
• 3. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes. Top with powdered sugar, or fresh fruit. Enjoy!

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS - PASTEIS DE NATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
• In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
• Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top