Pastel de Nata

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pies tarts Vanilla: Extract Medium

Pastel de nata is a small Portuguese tart with a crisp laminated shell and a silky egg custard that blisters dark on top. We use store-bought puff pastry for an easy home version. Makes 12 tarts in about 53 minutes.

Prep 35 min

Cook 18 min

Total 53 min

Servings 12

Ingredients

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servings

1 ⅓ cups (320 g)all-butter puff pastry, one sheet, chilled
¾ cup (150 g)granulated sugar
7 tbsp (100 ml)water
1 pinchlemon peel, one 2-inch strip
1 cup (250 ml)whole milk
3 tbsp (25 g)all-purpose flour
5 (90 g)egg yolks
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
¾ tsp (2 g)ground cinnamon
1 ½ tbsp (10 g)powdered sugar

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Instructions

Heat the oven to its highest setting, 500 F (260 C), with a rack in the upper third. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Unroll the pastry, roll it tightly into a log from the short side, then cut 12 equal slices. Stand each slice cut side up in a cup, wet your thumb and press it into the base and up the sides until the pastry is thin and rises just over the rim. Chill the tin.
Bring the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and lemon peel to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes without stirring. Discard the peel and stick, and keep the syrup warm.
Whisk the flour with a little cold milk to a smooth paste, then whisk in the rest. Heat gently, whisking, until it thickens like a thin pudding, about 4 minutes.
Whisk the hot syrup into the thickened milk in a thin stream, cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the yolks and vanilla and strain into a pitcher.
Fill each shell about three-quarters full.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the custard tops are blistered with dark brown spots. Cool 5 minutes in the tin, then move to a rack. Dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar if you like.

Tips

Cut the log slices cold so the layers stay flaky.
Straining the custard keeps it silky.
A very hot oven is needed to blister the tops.
Bake until the custard is set and blistered; leftover tarts should be refrigerated.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pastel de nata?

Plan on 35 minutes of prep and 18 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 12 tarts (12 servings).

How should I store pastel de nata?

Best the day they are baked. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and warm briefly in a 350 F (175 C) oven.

Can I make pastel de nata ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with espresso or port.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

247 Calories / serving

12.9g Fat

28.6g Carbs

4.1g Protein

14.8g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~2964 cal · 155g fat · 343g carbs · 49g protein · 178g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.