Rhubarb and custard Portuguese tarts

Rhubarb and custard Portuguese tarts

Flaky pastry, caramelised vanilla custard and sharp rhubarb make these Portuguese custard tarts (AKA pastéis de nata) an absolute must.

Rhubarb and custard Portuguese tarts

Try our classic Portugese custard tarts, or find more puff pastry recipes.

  • Serves icon Serves 12
  • Time icon Hands-on time 30 min. Oven time 10 min

Flaky pastry, caramelised vanilla custard and sharp rhubarb make these Portuguese custard tarts (AKA pastéis de nata) an absolute must.

Try our classic Portugese custard tarts, or find more puff pastry recipes.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
134kcals
Fat
6.6g (3.1g saturated)
Protein
2.4g
Carbohydrates
15.7g (9g sugars)
Fibre
0.6g
Salt
0.2g

Ingredients

  • 15g plain flour, plus extra to dust
  • ½ 320g puff pastry sheet
  • Butter to grease
  • 125ml whole milk
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 150g rhubarb
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 100ml water
  • 3 large free-range egg yolks

Specialist kit

  • Cupcake or muffin tin
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Method

  1. Dust a work surface with flour. Fold the pastry in half then roll out into a rectangle about 3mm thick. Roll up lengthways, sealing the edge with a little water, to create a long, spiralled log. Slice into 1-1.5cm discs then, using a rolling pin, roll each one flat into a circle around 2mm thick. Grease the holes of your tin with a little butter then line each hole with the pastry discs and put in the fridge.
  2. Put the milk in a small pan with the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean paste, bring to the boil then remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon. Put the flour in a bowl and whisk in a little of the milk bit by bit – you must go slowly to avoid lumps. Transfer the mixture back to the pan and put over the heat for 2 minutes or until thickened, whisking continuously. Set aside.
  3. Heat the oven to 160ºC fan/gas mark 4. Put the rhubarb, sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and whizz until smooth, then stir it into the thickened milk mixture. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then whisk them into the milk. Transfer to a jug.
  4. Remove the pastry cases from the fridge and pour the rhubarb custard into each one, about three-quarters of the way up. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove and finish off under a hot grill until just starting to caramelise and blacken. Leave to cool before eating.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
134kcals
Fat
6.6g (3.1g saturated)
Protein
2.4g
Carbohydrates
15.7g (9g sugars)
Fibre
0.6g
Salt
0.2g

delicious. tips

  1. Any leftover puff pastry freezes well, though be sure to keep it flat (or rolled) for maximum flakiness.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

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