Every time we visit Sergio at the factory, he's got Pastel De Natas waiting for us. It's not the only reason we work together but they're delicious and it helps. 

So this time we visited the factory we learnt how to make these piping hot tasty treats. You're welcome.

Dough:

500 grams Flour
250ml Water
250gr of Butter (unsalted)
Salt

Custard:

Ingredients
200g Sugar
175ml water
2 slices of lemon skin
1 Cinnamon stick (not ground)
17g Corn Starch 
25g Flour
250ml Milk
5 Egg yolks

To make the dough.

Mix the flour, water and salt, then beat until you have a firm, non sticky dough.

Let it rest for at least 5 minutes.

Open the dough with a rolling pin on a floured surface then lay the butter in the middle of your rectangular dough. Fold one side of the dough over the butter, then the other side to make a little butter filled parcel.  Whack (yes, whack) the parcel with your rolling pin at least 5 times.

Take your rolling pin and roll out the dough to a rectangular shape again, about half an inch thick. Fold it twice, and roll again, then repeat. The folding lets air in, and where the butter melts you'll have layers of air, giving a light fluffy texture.

Open the dough for the last time, in a big rectangle, sprinkle on a little bit of water, then roll the dough like a swiss roll.

Cut the roll into 2 inch slices. Place each slice facing up into tins (a cupcake tin will work fine if you've not got Pastel De Nata tins). Press your thumb into the middle and work the dough outwards, lining the tin with a dough that forms the edges of your pastel. You should aim for a very thin bottom and thicker sides. 

To make the custard.

In a pan, combine sugar, water, lemon and cinnamon. Let it come to boil. When it starts boiling, count for 1 minute and take it out of the heat.

In another pan, join both flours and combine milk. Whisk.

Cook the milk + flour mixture on high heat, whisking until it reaches a thick, uncurdled texture.

Join the sugar to the milk slowly, constantly whisking it until it’s fully combined and has a shiny appearance. One the mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the egg yolks. 

Pour the custard mixture into the pastel de nata pastry shells, and cook on the highest heat your oven will go up to, for 10 minutes.

Take out and serve. Enjoy these guys hot.
 

Recipe courtesy of Joanna, Porto's most brilliant Pastel De Nata teacher, who we found via AirBnB experiences. If you're visiting Porto, you can book onto one of her classes here.