It seems that our contractor and subs are all foodies this time around! From our first gen Slovanian contactor to the Greek plumber, Costa Rican electrician and Croatian cabinetmaker they all LOVE food! In fact, our cabinetmaker has more food pics on his phone than I do!
This food-centric group plays into my baking very well! In fact, to reciprocate, our contractor, Marko brought us Portuguese Custard Tarts as a gift and they were awesome! I knew on first bite that I had to make them. What makes them awesome is the flaky, crispy, yet chewy pastry. It’s a laminated pastry, like a croissant but much easier to make. Although they require a little planning ahead, they are totally worth it. Do yourself and your family and make this recipe, you won’t regret it.
Portuguese Custard Tarts
Makes 32 mini custard tarts
For the original recipe and an excellent video, please click here.
Updated in July 2023.
Ingredients for the pastry:
- 200 g AP unbleached flour (I had to add a bit more flour in March 2020)
- pinch of salt
- 135 mL water
- 120 g butter, softened, divided into thirds
Directions for the pastry:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt and water and knead until it begins to come away from the bowl. It is a shaggy dough.
- Remove dough from the bowl and flour generously (it is very sticky). Form into a square as best as you can (it is a very wet dough). Cover with plastic wrap and rest it for 10-15 minutes.
- On a generously floured surface, roll the dough out to 40 cm 40 cm square. Brush off any excess flour from the top. Gently spread the 1/3 of the softened butter on 2/3 of the dough to about 3 cm from the edge. Fold the unbuttered third over the buttered middle and fold the other side over that (exactly like you would working croissant dough).
- Turn the dough 90° and roll out again to a 40 cm square, generously flouring as needed. Brush off excess flour and repeat buttering the dough with 1/3 of the butter the same way and fold the same way as previously.
- Roll out the dough a third time to 40 cm square and butter with the last third of the butter, the entire surface leaving about 3 cm all the way around the edge. Roll the dough tightly from one end to the other, cut the roll into two and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Ingredients for the custard:
- 20 g AP unbleached flour
- 25 mL milk
- 125 mL milk (two separate quantities of milk)
- 87 mL water
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 4 eggs yolks
Directions:
- Combine the flour with 25 mL milk and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat 125 mL milk until almost boiling. Slowly pour into the flour and milk slurry and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- In a small, heavy bottom saucepan, combine the water, sugar and cinnamon stick. Without stirring, heat until the sugar has melted and it has reached 225° F. Remove the cinnamon stick carefully. Pour into the milk-flour slurry until and whisk until smooth. Whisk this mixture for about 10 minutes to cool significantly.
- Whisk the egg yolks together and whisk them into the cooled slurry. Strain through a fine seive. This mixture keeps refrigerated for 1 day until the pastry has rested in the refrigerator.
Making the tarts:
- Preheat the oven to 450° F or the highest temperature your oven will go. The trick is to bake these super hot for a short time.
- Lightly butter mini muffin tins.
- Slice the rolled dough in about 1.5 cm slices and place each one into a buttered muffin cavity. With slightly wet fingers, push the dough up into the sides of the tin making sure the bottom doesn’t become too thin. Place the pan into the freezer for 10 minutes, if the kitchen is warm. Fill 3/4 full with the custard mixture.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the custard tops become blistered slightly and the crust has baked to a crisp pastry.
- Cool and serve.
Notes:
- I have also made these tarts using store-bought puff pastry and although they are good, they are not the same as homemade laminated pastry. If you have the patience, do the homemade version, it is better.
Oh my gosh, just loved reading about the contractors and their backgrounds; the quintessential Canadian experience in diversity; the best. And the cabinet maker with more food photos than you – lol – how great is that? These tarts looks scrumptious Eva and are the ultimate art of simplicity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice job Eva…we had these on our trip to Portugal last year and I can confirm how good they are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By funny coincidence, I had a Portuguese custard tart for breakfast this morning. I adore them. And now I know how to make them at home, thanks. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They look lovely, Eva! Congratulations! There are many Portuguese living in my city, so there are several places where I can buy these and they are delicious indeed! And what a kind contractor you have!
I agree about the puff pastry. It’s not exactly the same thing here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My gosh, that looks good. This remodel has been delicious, it seems! I love custard, and I so rarely have it. There’s something that’s so homey and comforting about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Delicious looking pastries. I’ve been meaning to make these for ages … I WILL DO them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your contractors are awesome! How neat that they’re bringing you treats. 🙂 And what a treat! I’ve had these before but never made them. Really should make this — looks pretty straightforward. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They’re so simple yet so iconic. Which surprises me because I’ve eaten them from a street vendor who swore the recipe was a secret (though it was not in Portugal, but still…) GREG
LikeLiked by 1 person
YUM! Your contractors will remember you forever!! I wrote a Google review for our construction company and they responded with a nice comment including how much the workers loved my treats!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very flaky and absolutely tempting!
LikeLiked by 1 person