Pastel de Nata

Ingredients

• All-butter puff pastry 200 g
• Whole milk 200 ml
• All-purpose flour 15 g
• Sugar 100 g
• Water 50 ml
• Egg yolks 3 large
• Cinnamon stick 1
• Lemon peel 1 strip
• Ground cinnamon to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 250C, or its highest setting, and set out 8 cups of a muffin tin.

2. 2

   Roll the pastry into a tight log, cut it into 8 slices, and press each slice into a cup with wet thumbs, pushing the pastry thinly up the sides.

3. 3

   Whisk the flour with 50 ml of the milk until smooth; heat the rest of the milk with the lemon peel and cinnamon stick until steaming, then whisk in the flour mixture and cook for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.

4. 4

   Boil the sugar and water for 3 minutes to make a light syrup, whisk it into the hot milk mixture in a thin stream, and remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick.

5. 5

   Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks and strain it into a jug.

6. 6

   Fill the pastry cases three-quarters full and bake for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the tops are blistered with dark spots.

7. 7

   Let the tarts cool for 10 minutes and dust them with ground cinnamon before serving.