Portuguese Custard Cupcakes Recipes

PORTUGUESE COCONUT CUSTARD TARTS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Adjust oven rack to middle position. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with 10 paper cupcake liners; set aside.
• 2. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup milk.
• 3. In a food processor, shred the coconut for 30 seconds.
• 4. In a large bowl, stir the eggs and sugar together with a wooden spoon. One by one, add the cornstarch mixture, remaining 3/4 cup milk, coconut, melted butter, and lemon extract, stirring well after each addition.
• 5. Using a ladle or small measuring cup, ladle custard into the paper cups, filling each to 1/4 inch from the top. (Stir the custard frequently to keep coconut distributed.)
• 6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly toasted. Cool and serve slightly warm, or let cool completely in the muffin tin, and serve later. They should puff up during baking, but they'll shrink down a bit once they start cooling.
• 7. They're marvelous as is (and my favorite way to enjoy these tarts!). But if you don't like the indentation on top after they cool, you can spoon a little jam or sliced fruit on top.

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS - PASTEIS DE NATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
• In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
• Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F Grease cupcake tins with butter.
• Beat the eggs until lemon coloured. Add the sugar and butter and continue to beat until thick, then add the lemon rind.
• Pour warm milk into egg mixture while continuing to beat. Once blended, fold in the flour until well mixed.
• Fill the tins half way up and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on a rack. Cupcakes will sink during the cooling process.
• You can also use medium sized muffin tins to make 48 smaller custard cupcakes. They will cook for approximately 45 minutes.

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
• Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
• Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
• Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
• Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
• Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.